


Wine After Whiskey

by thatgleekychick



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-13
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 05:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 55,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1458121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatgleekychick/pseuds/thatgleekychick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Blaine’s life begins to crumble, it’s time for a fresh start. With his life in boxes, he moves to Lima to live with his brother. Nothing about Lima is particularly interesting until Blaine forgets his wallet and meets Kurt, who immediately captures his attention. Hummel’s doesn’t run without Kurt, and he’s always the last to leave. That’s why he’s sweeping the floor when Blaine walks into his bar, looking for his wallet, and restarting the heart Kurt thought was broken forever. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Blaine Anderson sat down on the edge of his bed and took in the room he'd been learning to call his own for the last week. It was spacious, with more than enough room to put the desk and bookshelves that were still in transit from New York, and there was a generous amount of closet space. And anything that didn't fit had been boxed back up and brought down to the basement. But that was all his life had become: the spare bedroom in a house that belonged to his brother, Cooper, and his brother's wife, Allison, and a couple of boxes filled with the parts of his life that he didn't have room for anymore.

Moving to Lima was a fresh start, a chance for Blaine to make a new life for himself and forget about all the horrible things that had happened in New York. After all, wasn't that exactly why Cooper moved here in the first place? Blaine's older brother had been flying through life without a care in the world. He had the means and the desire to do everything and anything without anyone, not even his family, to keep him in one place for too long. But then on a road trip the summer he turned thirty, Cooper met the love of his life and it wasn't long before he packed up everything he had and moved to Lima, Ohio. A couple of years later, they were married. Allison kept his grounded and for the first time in his adult life, Cooper had found a place to settle down. And for the first time in Blaine's life, he was truly jealous of his brother for finding true love, for making a family.

It hadn't gone unnoticed by Blaine that the walls of his new bedroom were painted a pale yellow and that the room had always been intended to be a nursery, and not a spare bedroom for Cooper's disaster of a brother.

In Blaine's defense, though it was a rather weak one, nothing that happened to him was his fault. Not really. It wasn't his fault that he came home to find his boyfriend with someone else, naked on their kitchen table. It wasn't Blaine's fault that the school he'd been working at had to let him go. It wasn't Blaine's fault that he was nearing thirty and his entire life began crumbling around him in a matter of two weeks.

All it took was a phone call from Cooper before Blaine was packing his things into boxes and throwing away what he no longer needed. Cooper had extended the invitation for Blaine to live with him and Allison, explaining to Blaine that he'd already found him a job at the elementary school teaching Kindergarten. "All I had to do was work my charm," Cooper had told him, "They needed someone to teach small children, and I told them that I just happened to have a very qualified brother." And that was how Blaine found himself laying back on his bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to not, for the millionth time, think about the terrible events that led him To Lima, in hopes that he could spot the red flags that he'd missed, or the ones he saw and chose to ignore.

There was no way he could have predicted that the school wouldn't ask him back to teach another year. The principal had told Blaine that he was a fine teacher, that the kids loved him and that he'd even got a few compliments from parents. But they were downsizing the school and the only thing they could offer him was a glowing recommendation.

Though, in hindsight, he probably should have seen Jason cheating on him coming from a mile away. They'd been together for a couple of years and Blaine was ready; ready to get married and start a family. And he had wanted that with Jason. He'd always hoped that Jason would ask him, but Jason had always been hesitant, never exactly explaining himself, and skirting around the topic every time Blaine brought it up. He shouldn't have been so surprised to find him on top of one of the guys he worked with, the one who had hit on him at Jason's Christmas party for work, that Jason had said was completely harmless, and straight. He should have known there were others before Jason confessed everything and them moved out of the apartment.

But none of it mattered, not in Lima. In Lima he was just Cooper Anderson's brother and the new Kindergarten teacher. And aside from that he could be anybody he chose to be.

There was a knock on the door and Blaine turned his head as it opened and Cooper popped his head inside. Cooper was a handful of years older than Blaine, but sometimes it was hard to tell. He still had a youthfulness about him, both physical and mentally, that sometimes made him seem younger than Blaine.

"Hey Squirt," Cooper said with a spring in his voice giving Blaine his best big brother smile. Blaine sometimes thought that Cooper's energy was best suited for something other than construction.

"Hey Coop," Blaine sat up, grimacing at the nickname his brother had been calling him since he was ten. He hated it, but despite his pleas, especially during high school, Cooper never stopped using it, and eventually Blaine decided it wasn't worth the battle.

"You alright," Cooper asked completely entering the room and moving to sit next to Blaine on the bed.

"Yeah," Blaine responded, only partially lying, "Just a little tired."

"Well, nap if you must, but be ready by eight to go out tonight."

"Cooper, I don't think—"

"You've been here for a week," Cooper said putting his hand on Blaine's shoulder, "I've given you a week to mourn your shitty ex-boyfriend and your shitty New York life and to get all settled in here. Now it's time for you to go out and experience Lima."

"You told me there wasn't anything to do here."

"There really isn't," Cooper said, "Unless it's the weekend and unless you're at Hummel's."

"Hummel's," Blaine asked curiously.

"Hummel's is a bar that has fantastic onion rings," Cooper explained, "And I guarantee you'll have a good time. It's impossible to go to Hummel's and not have a good time."

"Do I get to say no," Blaine asked hopeful.

Cooper shook his head, "Not if you want to continue living here."

Blaine knew Cooper wasn't serious, but also that there was no way he was going to convince his Cooper to let him stay home, "Fine," Blaine said giving in.

"Fantastic," Cooper said patting Blaine on the knee and standing up, "and remember that this is going to be your first impression on the people of Lima. Make it a good one."

Blaine took a deep breath and closed his eyes as Cooper disappeared from the room, leaving him once again alone with just his thoughts. When his eyes were open, he could see Lima, his new home, his new life. But when he closed his eyes, it was like a switch was flipped and all he his thoughts turned to the past, the past he couldn't change. So he opened them again, taking in the pale yellow room and decided to focus his thoughts on the future. Ready or not, Blaine had four hours to get himself ready for his Lima, Ohio debut. He had to take the thoughts of New York and Jason and lock them up with the boxes in the basement so that he could go out and have a good time. If he couldn't, then how was Lima ever going to feel like home? How would he ever find for himself, the same thing that Cooper had?

* * *

Blaine wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting Hummel's to be, but what he got was a building at the end of a strip mall. A huge sign over the entrance displayed the name of the bar in large, neon orange lights. There was a porch across the front of the building with a couple of vacant tables. Blaine followed Cooper inside Hummel's, the foyer packed with people waiting for a table. Cooper pushed his way passed them; bypassing the hostess completely, and led Blaine to a table where two other guys were waiting. The first Blaine knew from Cooper's wedding party. His name was Jeff and he'd met Cooper once he'd moved to Lima. He was Allison's cousin. He'd played football in high school and in college, and he still looked like it. His dark hair was longer than the last time Blaine had seen him, but as Blaine shook his hand, Blaine thought that it worked better for him that way.

"This is Sam Evans," Cooper said gesturing to the other man at the table. This man looked around Blaine's age, had shoulder length blonde hair, and unusually large lips.

"Nice to meet you," Blaine said shaking Sam's hand and sitting down between him and Cooper.

"You too, dude," Sam said, "You're brother hasn't shut up about you since he found out you were moving here."

"All good things, I swear," Cooper said flashing his thousand dollar smile that meant that he wasn't exactly being truthful.

A moment later they were greeted by their waitress, a Latina woman in four inch black heels that accompanied the red and black dress that was her uniform. She had an apron wrapped around her waist and a serving tray in her hand.

"What can I get you gents?"

"Whiskey on the rocks for both the Anderson brothers and whatever these jokers are having," Cooper said gesturing to Jeff and Sam, "The whole tabs on me tonight, boys."

"Cooper, you don't have to do that," Blaine said.

"But I want to," Cooper said putting his arm around his brother "You're my kid brother and it's your first night out on the town. Besides, I know you'll maybe have one more and one of these two will get the bill next time."

"Thanks, Coop," Blaine said with a bashful smile. Sometimes Blaine forgot that Cooper could actually be a great big brother.

"No problem, buddy," Cooper said before turning his attention towards Jeff.

"Alright," Sam said pulling Blaine's attention towards him, "Lima 101."

"I'm sorry," Blaine said bewildered.

"See the man over at the bar alone," Sam said gesturing behind him to a man sitting at the bar in a bright blue polo shirt and red shorts that were actually _really_ short, "That is Old Man Tanaka. But he's not actually that old. He's spent every day in here since his fiancé dumped him a few years ago. He doesn't talk to anyone anymore. He just comes in and sits down on his stool in the bartender brings him his usual. Two rules: never talk to him and never sit on his stool."

"That sounds tragic."

"Oh, totally. My mom brings him a casserole every week but she just leaves it on the porch, rings the doorbell and leaves. When she shows up to drop a new one off, she finds the old dish sitting on the porch, clean. No idea if he even eats them, but mom is grateful he gives her back her dishes."

"So he just sits here and gets drunk all day?"

"I guess," Sam said, "But he always walks himself out of here just fine. He's not like slopping or anything."

Their waitress brought them their first round, and between then and round three (though Blaine stopped, as expected, after round two), Sam excitedly filled Blaine in on all the people of Lima; or at mostly just the ones currently at Hummel's. Their waitress, Santana Lopez, dated Sam once in high school before she came out and professed her love to her best friend, Brittany. But Brittany had dreams that were bigger than Lima and she left for Los Angeles right after high school, leaving everyone, including Santana, behind. Sam told him about Brittany (he dated her too), and Mercedes (Sam kind of dated her as well) and then It was just after finished his story about Puck, the other server, that he looked up in search for Santana, announcing that he needed another drink.

But Santana was nowhere to be seen.

"She must be on break," Blaine said, "I can just go to the bar."

"Two more for us, Squirt," Cooper said gesturing between him and Jeff who had been joined by another man, and from what Blaine could here, they were talking baseball.

Blaine nodded and got up from the table and weaved his way through the other tables and people towards the bar. While he waited to be served, Blaine looked back over towards his table, the table where his brother and his brother's friends sat and took in the fact that this, this town, this bar, this life was now his. In New York he'd had a small group of friends and every Friday night, and sometimes with Jason, they'd go out to this bar not far from Blaine's apartment. It was the thing that Blaine looked forward to the most every week. But he didn't have New York or those friends, or Jason, anymore. Life was different now and he'd have to settle for this new bar and these new friends; even if they were the ones he was borrowing from Cooper.

"What can I get you?"

Blaine turned his attention towards the bartender, fully intending to just rattle off his list of drinks, but then his mind went completely blank. Because standing in front of him, wearing a white Henley and a black vest, was the most beautiful man Blaine had ever seen. He was absolutely with his porcelain skin and his chestnut hair that was styled into the perfect coif. And his eyes, _oh my god his eyes._ They were the most stunning shade of blue; an ocean Blaine wanted nothing more than to drown in.

This gorgeous bartender had put a spell on him, leaving him unable to form a single thought or allow a single word to escape his lips. And it was a long moment before Blaine could pull himself out of the haze. He'd blame it on the alcohol but Blaine was certain that it was caused by nothing more than the bartender's patient, and beautiful, smile, "Uh. Whiskey on the rocks, a Bud Light and a Rum and Coke. Please."

Blaine could have sworn he saw the corners of the bartender's mouth raise just a fraction higher before he silently turned around and began taking care of Blaine's order. Which was just fine with Blaine because it left him to try and calm the voice in his head that wouldn't stop screaming about how attractive the bartender was and from drifting off to other, rather imaginative, thoughts. Never in his life had Blaine been so struck by someone. But he needed to force himself to put his thoughts back on track so that he could function like a sane human in front of the attractive bartender, and not turn into a pile of goo. Because that wasn't very attractive.

The bartender returned with his drinks, "Are you adding these to a tab?"

"No," Blaine said reaching in his pocket for his wallet, grateful that he seemed to be able to function again, "These are going to be on me."

Blaine pulled enough cash to cover the drinks and give the bartender a generous tip. It was the least he could do after acting like an idiot in front of him and internally ogling him while was doing his job. He smiled, hoping he was now coming off as charming and not a bumbling idiot, and creatively, and safely, arranged all three drinks in his hands and made his way back to the table.

"Took you long enough," Cooper said reaching for his drink just as Blaine was setting them down on the table.

"There were a lot of people."

"Uh huh," Cooper said and turned back towards Jeff.

Sam took his Rum and Coke from Blaine, "Nothing for you?"

"No, I'm done for the night. Especially if he's still going."

Sam nodded, taking a sit of his drink, looking ready to launch into another lesson in Lima 101, when Blaine interrupted him.

"Who's the guys working the bar," Blaine asked.

Sam turned to look and Blaine immediately regretted even asking because while Sam's eyes found the bartender, the bartender was maybe, hopefully, definitely, looking over in their direction.

"Oh, that's Kurt. Kurt Hummel. He runs this place."

"Oh."

"Why, what's up?"

"Nothing. I just—I didn't get his name when I got our drinks, that's all."

"Right," Sam said and then found the opportunity to tell another story, "But Kurt, like I said, he runs this place. It's actually his dad's place; he opened it a long time ago, like before Kurt was born. But you don't really see Burt, that's Kurt's dad, around much. He does the books or whatever to make sure the bills get paid, but the day-to-day stuff for the bar, pretty much comes completely from Kurt. The dude is here like every day."

"So, you know him?"

"Everyone knows everyone in Lima," Sam said, "But yeah. We were in Glee Club together in high school."

"Glee Club?"

"Hey man, don't hate on it. It was actually kind of awesome. After high school a couple of us went off to do other things, a lot of us, like me, Santana, Puck and Kurt stayed here."

"Do you regret it?"

"No," Sam told him, "Some people couldn't find what they wanted in Lima. But sometimes this place has everything you need."

* * *

They left before last call. After the first round of drinks, Cooper spent most of the night conversing with Jeff and a bunch of his other friends from work, leaving Blaine with Sam as his constant companion. But Blaine wasn't upset with his brother because he liked Sam. Sam had told Blaine all the important things he needed to know about Lima, and some of its in habitants, and Blaine found someone who he could actually talk to about music. It was Blaine's second love, after teaching, and Cooper never really had a real appreciation for music. Not like Sam had. It was nice.

But leaving Cooper to his own devices all night meant that by the time they left, Cooper was too intoxicated to drive them home and it would be up to Blaine to get them there. Blaine said goodbye to Jeff and Sam, with a promise to text Sam to hang out, after they helped him tuck Cooper into the front seat of his car, refusing their offer to help Blaine navigate the way home and took off in what he hoped was the right direction. He really needed to become more acquainted with the lay of the Lima land.

"Cooper, I'm going to need your help," Blaine said after a few minutes, turning into what he was pretty sure was the right subdivision, but now he was faced with a bunch of strange streets he wasn't quite sure he recognized in the dark.

Cooper looked up, disoriented and half asleep, " Right, two streets, left, one street, left, three streets, right, one street, left, third house on the right."

Blaine couldn't help but laugh as he committed Cooper's directions, that sounded more like a strange dance moves than anything else, to memory. When he took the final left and counted three houses down on the right, he was relieved to find Allison's car parked in the driveway.

Blaine got out of the car and hurried over to the passenger's side where Cooper was starting to get out of the car on his own.

"I'm not that drunk," Cooper muttered.

"Well it seems like you need some help. Come on, Coop," Blaine said putting his arm around his brother's shoulders, tugging Cooper beside him as they moved, slowly, towards the front door. Where Allison was waiting.

"I thought you two were going to need a ride home, so I waited up," she told Blaine.

Blaine smiled at his sister-in-law. He'd always liked Allison; sometimes even thought she was wasting her time with Cooper, who sometimes acted more like a child than any of the kids in his class. But she loved him, and it was apparent in the smile she gave Cooper even though he was coming home like a frat boy on a Friday night instead of the grown man she'd married. To her, she wasn't wasting a minute. Loving someone completely, flaws included, could never be wasteful. It was beautiful.

Allison wrapped her arms around Cooper's other side, "I've got this, Blaine. Go on up to bed."

Blaine nodded but vowed to at least help her get Cooper to the couch. Cooper muttered something that neither Allison nor Blaine understood, he was half asleep by then, right before he was unceremoniously dumped onto the couch where Allison vowed he would stay for the rest of the night.

"Blaine, really," Allison whispered, "You can go to bed now."

Blaine whispered goodnight and kissed Allison on the cheek and headed towards the stairs. He could feel the weight of the hour beginning to push down on him, looking forward to getting into bed and falling asleep. As he climbed the first step he reached to his back pocket and stopped completely.

"Crap."

"What," Allison said appearing beside him.

"I think I left my wallet at the bar," Blaine told her, "I'm going to head back up there and see if it's there."

"Are you sure it can't wait until it's light out?"

"Yeah," Blaine said, "I'll be right back."

"Are you sure you can find your way there?"

"I'll figure it out," Blaine said, "Toss a blanket on Cooper and go to bed. No need to wait up for me."

Blaine heard Allison tell him goodnight as he walked out the door for a post-midnight adventure.

* * *

Kurt took the broom from where it was leaning in the corner and began his nightly attempt at wrangling in all the fallen French fries, nutshells, and other debris that managed to dirty the floor, into a pile so that he could start mopping before it got too late.

He was alone, relishing in the quiet of the bar that, not more than thirty minutes before, had been alive and loud. Santana had offered to stay and help him clean up, like she did every night they worked together, but Kurt enjoyed this part of the night as much as any other. The stereo system was turned off, the jukebox plugged in and softly playing songs from a time before him own. It was peaceful, and Kurt was happy to be only with his thoughts and his broom.

He mentally triple checked that they had enough beer for the bon fire Sunday night as he swept around the tiny stage that tonight went unused for anything more than a place that a group of girls were dancing; he reminded himself that he needed to check in with his father about just how much they were paying the band that was playing as he swept up in the corner that he remembered was occupied earlier by a group of guys who spent every Friday night here so they didn't have to be home with their wives; and as he swept in front of the bar, he thought about his own bed. How he longed for it because it was late and he was tired but how big and cold it would be when he got home. He tried to push the last thoughts from his mind before they began to multiply and fester, guaranteed to keep him awake tonight when all he wanted was the sweet release of sleep.

They'd almost won until Kurt heard the front door of the bar open behind him and footsteps against the hardwood flooring. He should have locked the door after Santana left.

Kurt stopped sweeping, but didn't turn around, "We're closed."

A few more footsteps, "I know, I'm sorry. I wasn't even sure anyone would be here, but I think I left my wallet."

Kurt slowly turned around and came face to face with a man he recognized from earlier. The man who'd ordered whiskey, a Bud Light, and a rum and coke, the man whose hazel eyes had stunned him and that he would have daydreamed about as he mopped if those same hazel eyes weren't standing right in front of him.

"I think there's a wallet behind the bar," Kurt said leaning the broom against one of the tables and walking behind the bar, "I haven't looked to see whose it was yet, but I bet it's yours."

Kurt bent down to the shelf behind the bar; to the safe spot he knew there was a wallet. He knew because he'd put it there, shortly after Blaine had ordered drinks from him.

"You're new around here," Kurt said as he grabbed the wallet.

"You can tell," he heard Blaine as he stood up.

Kurt laughed, "There's not a sign over your head, but Lima isn't exactly a big town. Everyone kind of knows everyone. Or at least of them. And I certainly don't know you."

"Blaine Anderson," he said extending his hand.

"Kurt Hummel," Kurt said placing it into Blaine's ignoring the warmth that seemed to engulf, not just his hand, but his entire body. When he let go he flipped open the wallet, peaking at Blaine's idea, smiling at the picture on his driver's license that just looked so…adorable, "Yep, that's you."

"Thank you," Blaine said taking the wallet when Kurt handed it to him.

"Anderson," Kurt said, "Are you related to Cooper?"

"Unfortunately."

"So, new guy," Kurt said coming around the bar to sit on one of the bar stools, "What brought you to incredibly dull, Lima?"

"I needed a fresh start."

"In Lima," Kurt questioned, "Most of us are trying to get out of here before we die."

Blaine took a deep breath, "A lot of not so great things have happened in the last month and by the time they were all over there wasn't anything left for me in New York, so I left. And Cooper is here and he offered me his guest room so I thought, why not?"

"I always wanted to go to New York," Kurt said with a smile, "I thought about it after high school."

"Why didn't you," Blaine asked, "If you don't mind me asking."

And surprisingly, he didn't. He didn't mind that Blaine asked and he found that he wanted to tell Blaine despite the fact that they'd only just met.

"I don't mind. Everyone around here practically knows my entire life story," Kurt said, "But the short version is that things change. People change. Dreams change."

"So you're dream went from living in New York to running a bar in Lima?"

"I've always been a fan of bossing people around," Kurt explained, "And my dad was looking to hire someone to run things since he's not exactly young anymore. I thought it was crazy leaving Hummel's to be run by someone who wasn't a Hummel and I was in the middle of a quarter-life crisis and wasn't sure what way was up. So I took it as a sign and decided to run the bar."

"And how has that turned out?"

"I think it turned out pretty well."

They talked for a while. Their mutual love for musicals and Vogue giving them plenty to talk about. It had been so long since Kurt had anyone to talk about those things that it didn't matter the hour or that he was tired, he felt his energy renew as he told Blaine about his days in Glee Club and how Broadway had once been his dream. But he reminded himself that he had been a kid when he'd dreamt that.

"When did it get so late," Blaine exclaimed when he'd taken the pause in conversation to check his phone.

"It was late when you got here."

"Then when did it get _this_ late? I'm sorry about that, by the way. I just kind of panicked."

"Don't worry about it."

"I should get going."

"Right," Kurt said, "I need to finish mopping this floor."

"Again, I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Don't be," Kurt said, a big gigantic smile on his face, "It was really nice meeting you, Blaine."

"I'll see you around?"

"Yeah," Kurt said in a breathy voice, "Definitely."

Blaine waved goodbye and turned back towards the door, the sound of each of his footsteps hitting the hardwood played like a note of sad song every time he took a step away from Kurt. Because Kurt felt like he'd just made a promise, or that maybe a promise was being made to him. That Blaine was a promise. Of what? He wasn't sure. But for the first time in a very, very long time, something opened up deep inside of Kurt and he suddenly couldn't wait to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

Blaine spent most of Saturday preparing for school to start on Tuesday. There were lesson plans to create, supplies to gather, and he had to pick out the perfect outfit for his first day teaching at a new school. He not only had to impress a group of five and six year olds, he had to impress the rest of the faculty. He dragged Cooper along with him on three different trips to get the supplies he needed, the things that wouldn't be making the journey from New York. He drove the car he'd purchased from Jeff's brother every time, trying his best to learn the routes to places other than the bar and to the school. Because only then would he be able to let Lima feel like home.

By the time dinner rolled around, Blaine's school bag was packed and he had several boxes of things that he would bring to the school Monday morning. He was ready. But that didn't stop him from double, triple, quadruple, "Blaine, if you go upstairs and check that bag one more time, I'm going to be an only child," checking.

Blaine had intended to leave Sunday as a day of rest and relaxation. He was going to sit around on the couch with Cooper, watch football and just be. When he walked into the living room just after noon he was still dressed in pair of black sweatpants that were just slightly too big and a t-shirt he'd had since high school with the Dalton Academy mascot, the Warbler, fading into the thinning navy blue fabric.

"We ordered lunch from Hummel's," Cooper informed him not looking away from the TV.

"Oh," Blaine replied trying his voice neutral, hoping that his brother wouldn't notice the excitement in his voice cause by the mere mention of a bar, his eyes trained on the TV.

"Their burgers are spectacular and their onion rings," Cooper turned his gaze toward Blaine then closed his eyes and paused for dramatic effect. It made Blaine a bit uncomfortable, "are divine. Do you want me come with to pick it up?"

"I can go," Blaine said immediately.

"You can drive if you want."

"No, I can go. By myself," Blaine said, his words rushed, the butterflies dancing inside him, happy, nervous, excited. "Really. Just sit down and watch the game. I've got this."

And he did. Until he pulled into Hummel's parking lot. Until he realized that he had been in such a hurry to get to Hummel's that he'd left the house without changing.

Blaine banged his head against the steering wheel. What was he doing? The only reason he'd agreed to come to Hummel's, and was desperate to do it alone, was because he was holding on to the tiniest bit of hope that he would get the chance to see Kurt. The chance was small, but he had to take it.

Because when Blaine wasn't freaking out about lesson plans and how many washable markers he had, he was thinking about Kurt. His mind continuously flashed back to the other night, inside the bar he was currently parked outside of, remembering how easy it had been to sit and talk to a total stranger, who he happened to find out he had a lot in common with. A total stranger who happened to be breathtakingly gorgeous. Blaine thought about Kurt's eyes while putting a lesson plan together about the color blue. He thought about how Kurt's eyes seemed a little sad, or maybe it was the late hour, but they still had been absolutely mesmerizing, a stunning shade of blue, as Kurt told him of how he'd come to run the bar and of his father. If Cooper had known about the extra hour Blaine had spent at Hummel's Friday night, he'd have accused Blaine, loudly, of his ulterior motives for picking up lunch. And Blaine definitely had ulterior motives. He'd developed a pretty serious crush in a day and a half.

Blaine forced himself out of the car, continuing his mental reprimand for not changing his outfit, and into the restaurant. Inside, the sunlight was coming in from the open blinds, illuminating the foyer that Friday night had been packed with people. Today, there was no one to greet him, and there were only two rather small crowds gathered around two rather large televisions, one on either side of the bar. But otherwise, there were only a couple of other tables occupied. Blaine's gaze went to the bar, desperately seeking someone to help him, a specific someone, and tried to suppress the disappointment that bubbled inside him when Kurt was nowhere in sight. The only staff members he could see were the waiter serving drinks to one of the groups of game-watchers and a waitress behind the counter with his back to him. It had been so long since he'd been like this: starry-eyed, anxious, hopeful. He was acting like a teenager instead of a twenty-nine year old man. He'd been so wrapped up in the excitement of it all that he'd forgotten how devastating it was when things don't turn out the way you plan them. Accepting that his hopes were crushed, at least for today, Blaine approached the counter.

"Pick up for Anderson," Blaine said to get the waitress's attention. When she turned around Blaine immediately recognized her from the other night. He remembered her name was Santana.

"Just a minute," she muttered, sounding bored, then disappeared behind a swinging double door off to her right.

While he waited, Blaine leaned against the bar and looked over at the Browns game that was playing on the television. They were down by three with two minutes until half-time. He'd get back just in time for third quarter to start, and if he was lucky Cooper would let him look over lesson plans while they watched.

"Blaine."

At the sound of his name, Blaine turned back towards the bar and was shocked to find Kurt stand there in much different attire than he'd had on Friday night. Today he looked more professional: black slacks, a blue button down dress shirt, the top few buttons undone, nearly doing the same to Blaine. And Blaine was dressed like he'd just rolled out of bed.

"Hey," Blaine said trying to hide the mixture of anxiety, excitement and embarrassment that rushed through his entire body when he saw Kurt. Somehow seeing him in the sunlight had only enhanced Kurt's features, Blaine's memory of Friday night not doing the real Kurt justice. He tried desperately not to be the bumbling idiot he'd been at the bar on Friday night, "I didn't see you when I came in."

"I was in the back," Kurt explained with a smile, "Getting your order ready."

When the phone order for Anderson came in, Kurt had immediately made it his personal project. It was Sunday afternoon, and he was mostly at the bar in a managerial capacity, making sure orders were placed and working out the employee schedule for the next week. But when he heard the order come through, he dropped everything. Maybe it was stupid—and he heard the scoff come from Santana—and maybe Blaine wouldn't come to pick up the order, and maybe none of it was even for him. But Kurt had made his mission to make sure that the order was perfect.

"Oh, thanks," Blaine said, "My brother said you guys had amazing burgers and then got a little inappropriate about the onion rings.

Kurt laughed, "He's not the only one. Your total is $23.68."

Blaine reached into his pocket took out his wallet.

"You remembered your wallet this time," Kurt teased.

"Yeah," Blaine laughed as he handed Kurt the money, "Thank you, again. For holding onto it the other night."

"It was no problem," Kurt said handing Blaine his receipt.

"I'll see you around," Blaine said grabbing the bag and walking towards the door. He waited until he back was to the counter and smiled so brightly he could have lit up Time Square. His heart was soaring at the same time that it pounded in his chest. He felt alive in a way that he hadn't since he came to Lima. And then Kurt called his name just before he reached the doors of the bar, and his heart stopped.

Blaine turned around to find Kurt standing where he'd left him, behind the bar, but now Santana was at his side, giving him a stern look that Blaine couldn't understand, her hand on her hip.

"Do you—do you have any plans tonight," Kurt asked.

Blaine took a step closer to the bar, "Not really. I was just going to go home and watch football with Cooper all night."

"Oh, I don't want to bother you if you've got plans."

"He said no, you idiot," Santana said slamming the glass she'd been wiping down on the counter and using the rag to lash at Kurt's shoulder. Then she turned her attention to Blaine, "What's your name? Brian? Brian, what my terribly ridiculous friend is trying to ask you is if you have any intention of attending the bon fire tonight and if you don't would you consider attending it with him?"

"Santana—"

"Oh," Blaine said, "I'd love to. I mean if that's really what you're asking."

"I'm sorry, Santana lacked the ability to be subtle," Kurt said, "But yes, maybe not in those words, but that's what I was asking."

"I'd be honored," Blaine said with a smile. A great big, cat caught the canary smile.

Santana groaned and muttered something that sounded a bit like "I'm not ready for this shit" but tossed a towel over her shoulder and walked back through the double doors.

Blaine walked back over to the counter, ripped the receipt off his bag and scribbled his number on the back of it with the pen that was sitting on the bar and then handed it to Kurt.

"That is my number. Text me the location and I'll figure out how to get there."

"We could meet here," Kurt said, "The bar is going to close early and it's just a couple of blocks down. It's supposed to be a nice night, we could walk."

"Yeah, that'd be great."

"Great. Awesome," Kurt said with a toothy grin, "I'll see you here, around eight?"

"I'll see you at eight," Blaine repeated grabbing his bag and heading for the door once again. There was an extra spring in his step, his heart soared just a bit higher and he drove back home singing happily along with the radio.

* * *

Kurt arrived back at Hummel's at 7:45. Normally, the empty and the quiet of the bar was soothing, but tonight it only gave Kurt the peace and quiet to freak himself out twice, nearly texting Blaine to cancel before he took a deep breath and tried to remember what it was like to be a rational human being. And then he threw himself into a chair and asked himself, "What the hell am I doing?"

If you had asked him last month, last week, even Friday afternoon before he'd gone into work if he was ready, or even willing to date again, he would have told you outright—without a shadow of a doubt—that he wasn't. That his heart was still trying to mend itself from that last time that it had been broken. That he was happy the way things were and he had no intention of changing that. But then Blaine—handsome and charming—walked into his bar and suddenly everything changed without his permission. And without warning, something inside him, that had been dormant for over a year, woke up. And every thought Blaine could spare went to Blaine. Handsome, adorable, charming Blaine.

Kurt had made the mistake the next morning of telling Santana all about Blaine sitting in the kitchen the next morning. He'd told her about how Blaine had come back to the bar after they'd closed to get his forgotten wallet and how they somehow spent the next hour talking about everything and nothing. And how he'd woken up tired, but excited, giddy even, as he told his best friend about the guy who was still just a stranger.

"Even if you just sleep with him," Santana had told him before he left for the bar, "It'll be good for you."

"Santana, I'm not looking for that," Kurt told her, "I'm not even sure I'm looking for anything."

"Well you should be," Santana said reaching out to pick at Kurt's shirt only to have her hands swatted away, "It's time for you to mount the proverbial horse. Or the actual gay man."

Kurt wasn't sure if he loved or hated his best friend.

"This," Santana waved her hand in a circle in front of Kurt, "This lovesick teenager thing. It looks good on you."

Kurt had just rolled his eyes. Santana may not have the most conventional way of saying things, but everything she said was always in his best interest. If she hadn't said anything earlier when Blaine had come into Hummel's he probably would have lost his nerve and let Blaine leave without a mention of the bonfire. And then he would have had to pine after Blaine until the next time they saw each other. No wonder Santana had been so determined.

A pair of headlights came through the window, pulling Kurt from his thoughts. Blaine was here and there was no way he could back out now. He pushed back the fear away from the front of his mind as he got up and went to meet Blaine at his car.

"Hey," Kurt had said.

"Hey," Blaine had responded, his smile making everything inside Kurt melt.

"Ready to go," Kurt asked.

"Where exactly are we going," Blaine asked.

"There's a field just past Orchard Road. It's never really had a purpose aside from being a large empty slab of land. But every year, on the Sunday before Labor Day, it's where everyone chooses to congregate."

"Well, then lead the way."

"Follow me," Kurt said taking off down the street.

"I'm quite fascinated by all these small town quirks," Blaine said half a block later.

"You call them quirks; we call them things we do to keep ourselves from dying of boredom."

"I've just never experienced anything like this."

"Did you grow up in New York?"

"No," Blaine told him, "We—my parents and I—moved there the summer before I started high school from Connecticut. It was all suburbia before then, nothing like this."

"Rich boy, eh," Kurt joked.

"No, not really. I mean, my family has money. But I'm a teacher and Cooper's working construction. I think we're both far away from the white collar dreams our parents had for us."

"Were your parents disappointed," Kurt asked.

"Probably a little," Blaine said, "But we both followed our hearts."

Kurt hummed in response and then turned left at the corner and then they were there. Across the street was an open space occupied by many people, all gathered in groups, sitting on folding chairs around fire pits. The girls were dressed in short skirts and bikini tops, the boys in tanks and t-shirts. Lima was a far cry from the beach, but its people made the best of the last days of summer.

"Live music," Blaine asked noticing the stage setup across the field.

"This bonfire has been a Lima tradition since before my parents even opened the bar. It was just a bunch of twenty-somethings with loud music coming from a hundred different stereos, drinking out of their coolers. But when my parents opened the restaurant, they decided to partner with the organizers and they started selling beer and they paid for a band and then, according to legend, it didn't suck anymore. Now we send staff to help out and it's a day people look forward to every year."

"Wow," Blaine commented, "That's kind of amazing."

"I can't really take credit for it, it was all my dad's doing," Kurt said, "But it's a nice way for everyone to end the summer. It was my mom's favorite day of the year that wasn't my birthday."

"Was?"

"She died, when I was eight."

"Oh wow. Kurt, I'm sorry."

"I make sure that I come every year because I never got to go with her. The night is still young, but once everything gets going, I completely understand why she loved it so much."

Blaine reached out and grabbed onto Kurt's hand where it had been hanging at his side. He held it firmly as an attempt at comfort, as a show of support, and because he'd been thinking about it since they'd started their journey from the front of the bar. Blaine smiled when Kurt's hand shifted in his own until their fingers were laced together.

Now connected, Kurt dragged them towards a tent next to the stage. Inside stood a couple of makeshift bars being manned by several Hummel's staff members. He only recognized Puck who was standing behind one of the bars making drinks, mostly beer in plastic cups, for the long line of people waiting.

"I'll be right back," Kurt said letting go of Blaine's hand and disappearing behind the bar that Puck was at. He grabbed two long neck bottles from the tub, whispering something to Puck, and heading back towards Blaine.

Kurt handed one of the bottles to Blaine, "Job perk."

When the band began to play, Kurt grabbed onto Blaine's hand and dragged them towards the stage. There were five guys standing on stage in black skinny jeans and neon shirts, introducing themselves as Sunkist Rainbow and Kurt mentally vowed to make sure that Puck was never in charge of booking the band again.

But once they started playing, some poppy-punk hybrid, they weren't so bad. They just had a really terrible name. The music was catchy and around them some people were bobbing their heads to the music, while others were dancing wildly in groups. The music slowed a bit and Kurt turned to Blaine.

"Dance with me," Kurt said.

"I'd love to," Blaine responded.

It was then that Kurt noticed that they were still holding hands; that neither of them had let go while they were standing there. Kurt used it to his advantage and used their joined hands to pull Blaine towards him; his free hand settling on Blaine's hip as they began swaying with the melody of Sunkist Rainbow. Blaine's hand fell onto his shoulder and Kurt felt like he was flying. Like he was thousands of feet in the air and Blaine had put him there. Blaine had come into his life and turned it upside down. And he wasn't sure he wanted to be put back. He wasn't sure he wanted to do anything but stay in that moment with Blaine, whose fingers were brushing lightly over the skin at the top of his collar bone sending shivers through his entire body. He'd told Santana that he wasn't sure if he was looking for anything, and he wasn't. He wasn't looking but he'd found something, he'd found Blaine. Or maybe Blaine found him. Either way, dancing with Blaine, being close to Blaine, was making all those lonely months seem like a distance memory, a tiny candle dancing in the distance. One he knew would eventually burn out—replaced with the fire beginning to roar inside him. The one that had been sparked by Blaine.

When the band took a break, Kurt led them back towards the beer tent, leaving Blaine outside while he went in to grab a couple more drinks. While Kurt was inside, Blaine sat down underneath a tree where Kurt would see him when he came back out. He was high. On life, on Lima, on Kurt. He'd been afraid that all his pain was going to follow him to Lima, and maybe it had. But then there was Kurt, who chased all of the dark clouds away with a smile. Blaine spotted Kurt coming out of the tent and his heart swell when Kurt looked momentarily confused, and then smiled brightly when he spotted Blaine.

"I'm having fun," Blaine said as Kurt sat down next to him, handing him another beer. He could hear the content sound in his own voice, one that had been gone for so long. He only hoped that Kurt could hear it too.

"Me too," Kurt said as though two simple words could describe what he was really feeling.

Was it possible to feel peaceful and one fire at the same time? Sitting beside Blaine, shoulder to shoulder, a warm summer breeze dancing around them, Kurt thought it was. For the first time in a very, very long time, Kurt felt content, the ghosts that had been haunting him, his head and his heart, were quiet for the first time in over a year. There was something not at all unpleasant beginning to roar inside him. He felt a heat wash over him like a wave that had nothing to do with the breeze of the alcohol he'd consumed. It was his heart, thawing out after a long chill. After a time when he thought he'd never feel like this again, when he kept everyone who wasn't his family or close friends at an arm's length, he found himself capable of feeling like this, content with letting someone get close to him, to giving his heart out to someone else. And Blaine had shown him no reason why he couldn't be trusted with it. There was something about Blaine that made it easy for Kurt to want to give his heart to Blaine. Slowly, of course. But he was willing to take the risk.

Kurt turned his head to look at Blaine, right into his eyes like warm caramel, "I like you," he whispered.

"I like you, too," Blaine responded reaching out and entwining their hands. Everything seemed so much better when they were holding hands.

It wasn't anything epic. It wasn't a grand gesture at the end of a heartfelt speech. It wasn't a moment of release after a heated argument. There hadn't been tense moments of will-they-won't-they. But it had just enough spark to light a flame. It was the most perfect gentle kiss, lips pressed against lips, fingers entwined between them. It wasn't long and rather chaste but Blaine's entire body felt like it was on fire and Kurt wanted to continue to do kiss Blaine until he was certain that he'd never forget what Blaine's lips felt like upon his own.

When they broke apart, their eyes found each other, holding each other the way their hands were, tight and connected.

Kurt smiled and stood up still holding onto Blaine's hand.

"You want to go somewhere else," Kurt said looking down at Blaine.

Blaine smiled and nodded getting to his feet as Kurt began them back in the direction of Hummel's.

* * *

Walking into Hummel's—still holding on tightly to Kurt's hand—the light's down, no music and no people reminded Blaine of the night he'd met Kurt. In the early morning hours of the same empty bar, they talked like old friends instead of strangers. They caught up instead of getting to know each other.

Kurt didn't let go of Blaine's hand until they were in the heart of the bar when he walked over to the jukebox, plugged it in and hit a couple of buttons and a moment later it started playing, soft and low.

"I thought that was just decoration," Blaine told him.

"It is," Kurt said giving it a pat, "But it works."

Blaine nodded listening to the melody from a song long ago while he watched Kurt watch him.

"Sit," Kurt said gesturing to the bar, to the empty stools, "This one's on the house."

As Blaine sat down, Kurt went around the bar and pulled two glasses from the rack.

"Whatareya havin'? What's your go-to drink?"

"Uh, whiskey, I guess. On the rocks."

"Interesting," Kurt said as he proceeded to fill both glasses with ice and then grabbing a bottle behind him, filled both half way.

"Thanks," Blaine said as Kurt handed him his glass.

"Why whiskey," Kurt asked taking a sip from his glass.

Blaine gave Kurt a confused look over the rim of his glass as he did the same, "Huh?"

"There is one thing I've learned about working in this bar for so many years, and that's is that most people have a reason for their go-to drink," Kurt explained, "I know that my father will take a beer over anything else and he says that is because that's what he drank with is dad growing up. I know that when I was a junior in high school Santana and I thought it would be a good idea to drink an entire pitcher of vodka lemonade and now I won't go anywhere near the vodka part of that combination."

Blaine had never really thought about the reason he drank whiskey. He just liked it. But as he thought about it for a moment, he soon realized that the answer…was Cooper.

"Alright. So, if you haven't noticed there are more than a few years difference between Cooper and myself," Blaine started, "So one summer—god, I had to be fifteen—my parents were out of town and despite the fact that I've always been more of an adult than Cooper ever was, he was in charge. There were rules: no girls, no parties, no leaving me alone all night. But Cooper was twenty-two and it was the summer and I think it he was only going to be in town for like a week before he took off on some adventure, and he wasn't about to miss out on the chance to take advantage of an empty house.

"Anyway, I was up in my room, probably reading, and I decided that I wanted something from the kitchen so I wandered downstairs and there were a dozen people in my house. I don't even know if Cooper knew them all. When Cooper spotted me, he handed me a glass, his glass, and told me that it was time I got my first taste of being a man. And then I took my first sip of alcohol, whiskey. I didn't drink any more than night; I don't even think I liked it then. I just went back up to my room. I didn't drink much as a teenager, but most of what I did was with Cooper and it was always the same, a glass of whiskey. I guess it somehow became my thing because it was our thing."

"See. I told you," Kurt said with cocky smirk on his face, "everyone has a reason. And it's almost never because it tastes good."

"So what about you," Blaine said leaning his elbows on the bar, giving Kurt his full attention, "What's your go-to drink. You've only said that you avoid vodka."

"Amaretto Stone Sour," Kurt said, his voice suddenly less bubbly than it had been a moment before, "It was my mom's favorite and when I found out, I made Santana make me one. They've kind of stuck with my ever since. And it's a plus that it just happens to taste like heaven."

"Come sit with me," Blaine said gesturing to the stool next to him. It was vacant and Kurt was so very far away from him.

Blaine smiled when Kurt smiled again, then came around the bar and took the seat next to him, his body turned towards Blaine. Blaine turned himself towards Kurt, their knees beginning to slot together as Blaine pulled his stool closer to Kurt.

"Better," Kurt asked with a playful smile.

"Much," Blaine reached out and took hold Kurt's hand.

The feel of Kurt's hand in his, their fingers entwined, made Blaine feel grounded despite the fact that nothing had felt right since he'd arrived in Lima. Not until Kurt had kissed him at the bonfire, not until they sat close to each other in an empty, dimly lit bar.

"Since you didn't know about the bonfire, I'm going to assume you know nothing about the parade," Kurt asked.

"Bonfires and parades," Blaine said faking astonishment, "You and my brother might want to rethink your definitions of boring."

"Don't worry. After the next couple of days are over, you'll know exactly what we mean."

"Yes, you assume correctly. This is the first I'm hearing of a parade."

"Would you like to watch it with me? I have to work the lunch shift right after, but I have most of the morning off. I could meet you there, we could walk around, make fun of the floats."

It was a simple request but it made everything inside of Blaine dance and his face brightened, "That sounds like fun."

"It can be," Kurt said, "And you'll get to see the float for the bar."

"I'm intrigued."

"Good," Kurt smiled broadly, "So, I'll meet you there. Around 10?"

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

"Do you know where I'd rather be right now," Kurt asked leaning forward, his voice falling just above a whisper.

"Where," Blaine answered back, gazing candidly at Kurt. His entire body calling out for what he hoped would happen next.

"Here," Kurt said, "Doing this."

This kiss was different from the one they'd shared at the bonfire. That one had been tentative and innocent, testing the feelings they'd both developed over the last few days. This kiss was much, _much_ more. Kurt's lips were hungry for Blaine's as he pulled Blaine by the front of his shirt until they were close enough for Kurt to lean in and close the rest of the distance between them. He smiled when Blaine responded immediately, his hand settling on Kurt's hip, his thumb skimming across the fabric there. Blaine's mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than Kurt could have imagined. Kurt tasted tentatively with his tongue, and Blaine opened his mouth with a loan moan. Kurt could taste the whiskey on Blaine's lips. It didn't have the bite that it had from a glass, but it still caused a fire to burn within Kurt and he happily got lost in the flames. There was nothing else in the world but Blaine's lips, Blaine's arms, and the pleasurable burn they brought to Kurt's entire body.

"You're intoxicating," Blaine breathed, pulling away from their kiss to rest his forehead against Kurt's.

"You sure that's not just the alcohol?"

"Very," Blaine responded leaning in to kiss Kurt again.

Kurt shifted beneath Blaine's hand—which seemed to be unable to touch one part of Kurt for more than a moment before moving on to discover a new part of him—until he was standing and slotted between Blaine's knees, his arms wrapped around Blaine's neck, his fingers running through the hair at the nape. Blaine pulled Kurt closer, letting out a satisfied moan once Kurt was pressed against him completely. When Kurt pulled away, his breathing was heavy, his lips shifting into a roguish smile, while his eyes exchanged a scorching look with Blaine's.

"Dance with me," he whispered.

"What?"

Kurt pulled back slightly, but remained in Blaine's hold, "I want to dance with you."

"We danced at the bonfire," Blaine said chasing Kurt's lips with his own, capturing them briefly before Kurt pulled away again.

"I know," Kurt reached for Blaine's hand where it was resting against his neck, "But I want to dance again."

It only took a moment before, "okay," left Blaine's lips. Because he wanted nothing more than to give Kurt everything that was in his power to give him. And if it was something as simple as a dance or as grand as the moon, he'd find a way to do it.

So they danced. In the middle of the empty bar—the lights low, the music from the jukebox playing—as they wrapped themselves around each other, swaying along with the rhythm of the music.

Kurt leaned his head against Blaine's as they moved, taking a deep breath, breathing in Blaine like fresh air, letting Blaine fill his lungs as well as his heat with something he hadn't truly felt in so long.

Blaine held Kurt tighter, letting his warmth begin to seep into his body, to begin to defrost the parts of him that had been cold. Kurt was like the start of spring, bringing the world, _Blaine's world_ , back to life when it had been dull and gray for so long.

They danced all night, trading kisses and dancing along to whatever song came on the jukebox. Even once the songs began to repeat. And when the sun came up…they danced some more.


	3. Chapter 3

When Blaine let himself into the house, the sun was still slowly peaking over the horizon, its first rays were coming through the windows, illuminating the living room in a bold orange, and he was smiling. He'd been awake for nearly twenty four hours and there were only a few hours before he needed to go to the school and finish setting up his classroom, but underneath the tiredness and obligation, was something Blaine hadn't felt in a long time. Happiness; and the hope that this feeling—this vivacious, heart soaring, face beaming, totally blissed out rush—would stick around this time. He wanted to sing at the top of his lungs and dance on water and even though his feet were on the ground, he was flying; with only Kurt to tether him.

He could still feel the ghost of Kurt's lips against his, could still remember what Kurt felt like wrapped in his arms, what it felt like to be wrapped in Kurt's. The alcohol had worn off hours ago, while they danced around the empty bar, but Blaine still felt drunk. He felt intoxicated by everything that was Kurt Hummel and he had no intention of making any of it go away. They'd kissed goodbye in front of Hummel's, and there had been a promise. A promise of later and more. And Blaine was in such a euphoric haze that he barely noticed Cooper in the kitchen, dressed and ready for his morning jog, until his brother was calling his name.

"Are you just getting in," Cooper asked taking a sip from his coffee cup.

"Yeah," Blaine's grin is shameless.

"If I would have known, I would have been worried.

Blaine laughed, "No need. I was in good hands."

"Considering you're coming home with the sun, I'm assuming you had fun with Sam."

Blaine had forgotten that he'd lied to his brother the night before about who he was going out with. He knew how he brother could be: he'd ask a million questions, he'd tease, he'd want to know how it went. But until Blaine knew exactly what was going on with Kurt, he'd keep it all to himself. He didn't want to see the look on Cooper's face if it didn't go well. He didn't want any more of his brother's pity.

The night before had been beyond Blaine's wildest dreams, but he still didn't know what was really going on with Kurt. He just knew that it was new and wonderful, and that maybe later he'd tell Cooper about Kurt. But for now, he just told Cooper that he had a blast, a sheepish smile on face. He went up to his room to get a little sleep without another word.

* * *

Only a few hours later, Blaine stood behind the desk that he would call his own for the next nine months. Sam had offered his truck, and his assistance, to move some of the boxes from Cooper's house to the school and Blaine was grateful for the help. And the friend.

In the corner of the room, Sam was currently flipping through Blaine's collection of picture books before putting them on the bookshelf, while Blaine was busy taking in the weight of the day. In less than twenty-four hours he'd be joined in that room by sixteen rambunctious boys and girls who would sit at the four, currently empty, tables. It had been a long time since Blaine had felt so nervously excited. The room was decorated for fall, despite it still being—and feeling like—summer outside. But it would only be a few short weeks until the official beginning of the season and before he knew it, it would be Halloween, than Thanksgiving, then Christmas and the thought of watching the room evolve as the school year went on, and as the children themselves began to learn and grow, made Blaine giddy.

What also made Blaine heart soar were the texts he'd gotten all morning from Kurt. Since the night before, Blaine felt like he was living inside a dream. Kissing Kurt under the stars had been unexpected and magical and amazing. And kissing him and _feeling_ him on that bar stool had been something out of this world. He was sure—after everything that happened with Jason—that it would take him forever to find someone who could make him forget all the pain, and make him look forward to all the happiness that tomorrow could bring. And in only a matter of days, he'd found Kurt. Kurt, who could bring him that happiness with something as simple as a Good Morning text message.

Blaine glanced at his watch. He was supposed to meet Kurt at ten and if he didn't leave soon, he'd be late. And Blaine wanted nothing more than to spend every available minute with Kurt. Starting the next day, there would be jobs and other obligations; but today, at least for a few hours, it could still be all about them. Blaine did a quick check of the room, one final time and then turned to Sam.

"You ready to go," Blaine asked.

Sam put the book he was looking at down and then focused his attention on Blaine, "Not until you tell me."

Blaine narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow, "Tell you what?"

"Why you lied to your brother?"

"About what?" Blaine lied. How did Sam know about this?

"Dude, that's how this bro thing works. I don't have a problem lying for you, but you at least have to tell me why I'm doin' it. Your brother texted me to like, I don't know, check up on you last night. And we both know you weren't with me."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you were having a great time. But I haven idea if you actually were because you weren't actually with me."

"I was," Blaine said beaming, "Having a good time I mean."

"But if not with me then…," Sam prompted.

Blaine slumped his shoulders and sighed, "Fine," he took a breath, "I was with Kurt."

"Kurt," Sam repeated, "Kurt Hummel?"

"Is there more than one Kurt around here?"

"No, but like—dude—are you guys like a thing now?"

"I-I don't know," Blaine said, his cheeks warming. It was the truth despite how much he could see being a constant part of his life, "Though, I think we're both a little too old to have anything that qualifies as 'a thing'"

"Right, right, of course," Sam said running his fingers through his hair, "Are you sure about this?"

"About Kurt?"

"Yeah."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I-It's—no reason. Forget I said anything."

"Sam," Blaine said, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing. Really, forget I said anything. You both deserve to be happy."

"Uh, thank you," Blaine said, "I'm actually supposed to meet Kurt this morning, but I need to make sure everything's locked up."

"Cool," Sam said, "I'll just run this box back out to the truck. I'll meet you there."

"Thanks," Blaine said as Sam left the room.

Blaine wouldn't get another chance to check things over until the next morning, but he was ready. For school, and to get to the parade; so he could see Kurt. Blaine left the classroom, shutting the door behind him, and was heading towards the parking lot when someone called out behind him.

"Hey."

Blaine stopped and turned to see a woman, probably a couple of years older than himself, walking toward him. She was dressed in denim capris and a white t-shirt, her brown hair was cut in a short bob.

"You're Blaine, right," she asked as she approached.

"Uh, yeah," Blaine responded, "you are?"

"Claudia," the woman said extending her hand, "Claudia Valente. I teach second grade."

Bewildered, Blaine shook her hand.

"Principal Pillsbury told me we had a new kindergarten teacher and I wanted to introduce myself."

"It's nice to meet you, Claudia."

"Likewise. I've worked here for a few years now, so if you need anything, just let me know."

"Oh, uh, thanks. That's very nice of you."

"You're welcome," Claudia said turning back around and heading back down the hallway she came from, calling "I'll see you around, Blaine," as she walked away.

The second Claudia was just a few steps away, Blaine anxiously checked his watched. He'd have time later for kind co-workers. But now he had to get to Kurt and hurried to the parking lot.

* * *

"Have you even been to bed?" Santana asked Kurt who was sitting at his kitchen table, the largest cup of coffee he could find in front of him.

"I got, like, two hours of sleep," Kurt said smiling into his coffee cup before taking a sip, like two hours was enough.

Today was going to be a busy day; it was always one of the busiest days of the year for him, the bar, and the entire town. Running on two hours of sleep wasn't wise. But he thought back to the night before, to Blaine, without a single regret. He'd do it all over again.

"Maybe you should take off," Santana said sitting down in the chair next to Kurt, "spend the whole day in bed."

"You're crazy. I can't do that. Not today," Not ever, really.

"Ok, listen to me for a second, Kurt," Santana said seriously. Something she very rarely did, "You work took much. Maybe you don't need to work six days a week anymore."

"And then how would things get done?"

"You can hire, or promote, an assistant manager," Santana suggested, leaning back in her chair.

"You mean you?" Kurt said with playful accusation.

"I mean, yes, I'd kick some serious ass and you should strongly consider it, but it doesn't have to be me," she said, "just someone whose there to do stupid things like order beer and make sure the landscaping is taken care of."

"The whole point of me taking over Hummel's was so that there was a Hummel running it."

"I'm not asking you to quit. I'm just saying that it'll be good for you to take some more time off. I already talked to Burt. He's totally cool with it."

"Santana," Kurt scolded. If she'd already put the idea into his father's head, Kurt was certain it would be a long time before this particular conversation was dropped.

"Kurt, you deserve this. You deserve more time to yourself. Especially since you've got a new boy toy to keep you out until the sun comes up."

Kurt couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"So," she said clasping her hands together and tucking them underneath her chin, leaning into the table, "Are you going to fill me in on your night of reckless abandon."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "I didn't sleep with him if that's what you're asking."

"That's a shame."

"I am meeting him at the parade though."

"Good. Good. You seem…happy. Exhausted, but happy."

"I'd rather be exhausted and happy then exhausted and sad."

"Which is why you should consider hiring someone, it doesn't have to be me, to be another manager, Kurt. You need to take care of yourself. It's been a long year, I know. But it's time to start focusing on you again. I just want you to be happy."

"Thank you, Santana. For everything."

"You're welcome," she said putting her hand over his, "Now I have a parade to get ready for."

* * *

There were people everywhere when Blaine arrived at the spot, just down the block from Hummel's, where he'd agreed to meet Kurt. There was a fluttering in his chest, the anticipation of seeing Kurt again bubbling inside him, desperate to find Kurt among the throngs of strange faces. It had only been a few hours since they said goodbye, but it felt like much longer and Blaine was eager to find Kurt. But Kurt was not waiting outside the coffee shop. Kurt was nowhere to be seen.

For a moment, Blaine panicked. He checked his phone, nothing from Kurt. It was only five minutes after ten, but he could feel the beginnings of something he recognized as disappointment and rejection beginning to fill in the space that had—just moments before—been fluttering with excitement. He did his best to push it away, upset with himself that he'd learned to expect disappointment. Hating, even more so, that he thought Kurt would disappoint him.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his back. When he turned around and came face to face with a smiling Kurt, he smiled himself. And every bit of tension that had built up inside him disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Kurt said reaching down and taking hold of Blaine's hand, "Minor float related emergency."

Blaine twined their fingers together, relishing in the way they slotted together perfectly, "I hope everything is alright."

"Everything is perfect," Kurt said leaning in and kissing Blaine. It was soft, short, and sweet. And it made Blaine's insides flutter in a way that he never wanted to get used to.

Kurt led Blaine by the hand through the crowd, claiming he knew the best spot to watch the parade. Blaine followed willingly and when Kurt stopped in front of the bank, announcing that they'd arrived at their destination, Blaine slipped behind Kurt, pulling him into his arms, wrapping them tightly around his waist, sighing happily when Kurt leaned into him.

There was a float for the peewee football team, the high school baseball team, and their cheerleaders had an impressive routine, accompanied by the bullhorn enhanced shouting of a woman who looked…well, old.

"How old is she," Blaine asked nodding in the direction of the float and the woman in the red and white track suit.

"No one knows," Kurt said leaning further into Blaine because he wanted to, "Sue Sylvester was twenty-seven when I met her and twenty-five on the day I graduated. My guess is that she'll live longer than all of us and we'll never find out."

Blaine only hooked his chin on Kurt's shoulder as a response. It was a surprising feeling: how natural it felt to hold Kurt in his arms. They were standing on the sidewalk in surrounded by hundreds of strangers, Kurt barely more than that himself; but it didn't feel like that. From the moment that Kurt kissed him, and maybe even before that, Blaine felt peace. There was never any awkwardness and he wasn't hesitant. All he wanted to do was be with Kurt: to hold him, kiss him, _touch_ him, as long as Kurt would let him.

Like the bar itself, the float for Hummel's wasn't very elaborate. There wasn't anything overly showy: there was a makeshift bar which held jerseys from each of the major Ohio sports teams. And around the bar was the Hummel's staff. He recognized Santana and Puck, but there were a few others. And a little girl holding on to Santana's hand waving a pom-pom in the other. And in the center of it all was a man in a flannel shirt and a baseball cap, waving at everyone was a gigantic smile on his face.

"Is that your dad," Blaine said into Kurt's ear.

"Yep. Burt Hummel."

"And why aren't you up there," Blaine asked instead.

"Because, despite how much time I spend there and everything I do, Hummel's is my dad's and he should be the one representing it," Kurt explained, "even if it's just in a stupid Labor Day float that he's been planning since Halloween."

The rest of the parade passed by, neither of them removing themselves from the cocoon they'd created. They commented on the floats that passed, especially the one from Trevor's Tool Shop who thought it would be a good idea to line his float with a bunch of men in jeans and t-shirts armed with chain saws.

"I can't decide if they're supposed to be hot handymen or sexy serial killers," Kurt said.

"Serial killers. Definitely serial killers."

When the last float drove by, the crowd began to dissipate—everyone going back to their lives, no longer gathered as a community. It was only then that Kurt pulled himself out of Blaine's hold, a blissful smile on his face as he turned to look at Blaine.

"I should go," he said reluctantly, "The lunch rush is going to be crazy and they'll need me back at the bar."

"Yeah, of course."

"But I'd like to see you again," Kurt said, "If you'd like."

"Yeah," Blaine said, "Yeah that'd be great."

"I was hoping you'd say that."

They shared a knowing look, but said nothing. Because now there wasn't a rush to say everything, because they would see each other again. And Blaine hoped it would be very, very soon.

Kurt took a deep breath and reached out, grabbing hold of the belt loop of Blaine's jeans, and tugged him toward him until their bodies were flush against each other. Kurt leaned in and pressed his lips to Blaine, letting it linger as he pulled away.

"I'll call you," Kurt promised, "Tomorrow."

"Alright," Blaine said and then kissed him once more.

Kurt unlatched himself from Blaine and began the short walk towards Hummel's. Blaine watched until he could no longer see him in the crowd heading back to their lives. With a smile on his face, Blaine floated back to his car. He'd never been more excited about the prospect of tomorrow.

* * *

Blaine stood in front of the classroom the same way he had the day before, only this time each of the four tables were filled with four tiny people who were probably as scared and nervous as he was to be there.

"Hi everyone," Blaine said, "I'm Mr. Anderson and welcome to your first day of Kindergarten. I'm going to take attendance, so when you hear your name, please raise your hand."

Blaine picked up his roster and for the first time, really looked at the names of the kids in his class. There was Heather Ambrose, then Kelly Austin, Michael Brooks, Amanda Clarke, Sean Collins, Dominic Delaney and then one name that made him pause.

"Kadie Hummel," Blaine called out.

A hand shot into the air and Blaine looked up to find the face of a beautiful little girl whose dark brown curls fell down past her shoulders and whose eyes, shining like sapphires, looked familiar. At the same time Blaine's stomach dropped. Because she was the little girl from the float, the one holding onto Santana's hand. A girl who looked very much like a Hummel; a girl who looked very much like Kurt. The same Kurt who he was supposed to call him that evening—he'd sent a text that morning saying so. The same Kurt that he'd spent most of the last three days completely wrapped up in. Kurt who had mentioned a father, but not a sister. Surely Kurt would have mentioned it if he…

Blaine stopped his thoughts from going there, from jumping to conclusions, to immediately calling Kurt and asking him if he knew anything about a Kadie Hummel. Instead, he took a deep breath and centered himself. He had a class to teach and it wasn't the time to be distracted. So he moved on to Olivia Moore.

The rest of the day, Blaine did his best not to see Kurt every time he looked at Kadie—who was a very active class participant. The text message from Kurt around lunch time was left unanswered.

The bell rang to signal the end of the day and Blaine let out a breath as he walked his class out of the front of the building where students would either get on a bus or be picked up by their parents. He shouldn't have been surprised when he saw Kurt standing with a group of parents, dressed like he'd just come from work. He shouldn't have been surprised when Kadie Hummel went running towards him shouting "Daddy" and leaping into his arms.

Blaine caught Kurt's eyes and he tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes the way they had yesterday, when he was holding Kurt in his arms, when he was holding his hand while they walked through the crowded streets. Kurt's face remained neutral while he looked at Blaine and he only smiled when he looked down at his daughter. When another of his students, Mary, tugged on his shirt sleeve, looking for help finding her bus, Blaine was thankful for the distraction. By the time Mary was safely on her bus, Kurt and Kadie were both gone. And Blaine disappeared inside the school.


	4. Chapter 4

Blaine returned home after cleaning up his classroom, grateful to find that the house was empty. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and made his way up to his room, closing the door behind him. He haphazardly tossed his bag on his desk and then threw himself on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if it held all the answers to his now numerous unanswered questions. He'd left the house that morning feeling great, feeling empowered, feeling like his life was finally going in the direction that Blaine wanted it. But now he was filled with so much uncertainty. It was like he was hanging in limbo, numb to everything, unable to find footing on solid ground.

Because the universe had found a way to fuck him over yet again.

Maybe he was angry. But he wasn't angry at Kurt. He couldn't be angry at Kurt for not telling him that he had a daughter, right? They'd known each other for less than a week. Why would Kurt need to tell Blaine more than his name? Because there had been a promise made. They'd promised each other tomorrow. And now tomorrow was here and it didn't look a thing like Blaine had imagined. Tomorrow had been overshadowed by a five year old who looked very much like her daddy.

No, there wasn't a specific person to blame; it was just Blaine's cruel fate. He'd lost his job, his ex-boyfriend turned out to be a cheating bastard, and the second that he felt himself open his heart again, he was knocked down by fate's vindictive hand. Just when he'd finally put his life back into focus, everything was blurry again.

Despite all the uncertainty, Blaine knew one thing. There was no way he could date the parent of one of his students.

Blaine was just beginning to think about what that meant when his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and, seeing that it was Kurt, he hesitated for a moment. He could ignore the call, and the text messages and voicemails that would certainly follow. But he told himself that he couldn't run from this problem, there was nowhere else for him to go. And he reminded himself that he wasn't really angry with Kurt. And Kurt deserved more than to be ignored. Still, he reluctantly accepted the call and placed the phone against his ear, offering a weak hello.

"Hey," Kurt's voice was low and hesitant, as if he was expecting Blaine to react violently.

There was silence. Blaine wasn't sure what to say.

"How mad are you," the unsteadiness of Kurt's words growing.

"I'm not mad," Blaine did his best to keep his voice steady. He wasn't mad, he was just confused.

"Then you're a better person than I am."

Blaine couldn't find the words. Were there words?

"Maybe if you're not mad," Kurt asked cautiously, "then you'll meet me somewhere. Let me explain."

Blaine contemplated it for a second. Maybe he deserved an explanation. Maybe Kurt deserved the chance to explain, "I-I-Sure."

"Great, thank you," the relief was dripping from his words, "Alcohol or coffee?"

"Coffee," Blaine said despite the appeal of the sting of a glass of whiskey, "I can put a pot on if you want to come here. My brother and his wife won't be home for a little while."

"Perfect," Kurt said, "Santana is on her way over to watch Kadie and then I'll be on my way. I'll see you in a bit."

"Okay," Blaine said and hung up the phone.

The nervousness began building inside Blaine the second he started towards the kitchen. He turned the coffee pot on, watching as it began to drip drop by drop into the pot, trying to distract himself from the truth. The truth that once Kurt arrived, things would have to change. There was a line that had been crossed, one that he'd seen crossed many times before when teachers dated the parents of their students. A line Blaine promised himself a long time ago that he would never cross.

His heart raced a bit faster when he heard the doorbell. Once he answered the door there was no turning back. Once he saw Kurt again, it would be different than it had been yesterday; different than it had been when he'd woken up that morning. But he did it because he had to, because regardless of how much he didn't want any of what was about to happen, it had to. For the two of them, and for Kadie. With only a quiet greeting, Blaine let Kurt into the house, asked Kurt how he took his coffee, and disappeared into the kitchen, unable to really look at Kurt just yet. When he came back and finally forced his eyes to really see Kurt, he found him standing in the middle of the room, looking just as unsure as Blaine felt. One of the things Blaine had loved about being with Kurt was that Kurt never made him feel nervous or afraid; not in a bad way. But now standing in front of him he was terrified.

Blaine handed Kurt the coffee mug and gestured for him to sit down at the couch, Blaine took the chair adjacent. It was usually a very comfortable chair, but now it gave no comfort.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said in a rushed breath, like he couldn't hold it in any longer. The hitch not going unnoticed by Blaine, "I should have said something the night we met."

"Why didn't you?" Blaine's question wasn't accusatory. He just wanted to know.

Kurt shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I was hoping that you were feeling the same way that I was and thought that you wouldn't feel the same way if you knew I came with a five year old."

"I wouldn't have."

"I didn't know that then," Kurt said, "I didn't know what I was doing that night any more than I know what I'm doing now. Being a single and a dad was never part of the plan. And I don't have a clue how to make both of those things work together."

"What was the plan?"

Kurt shifted uncomfortably on against the couch cushions, "I don't know how to tell this story," He said, "Can I just start from the beginning?"

Blaine nodded.

"His name is Daniel," Kurt explained, the present tense of his words sticking uncomfortably in Blaine's throat, "and he was my high school sweetheart. He was the first boy to love me and I was sure he'd be the last. After high school, we both decided to stay in Lima, go to OSU. While I was in school I ran the bar at night and on the weekends and once I graduated I threw myself into making sure that my dad was only running the books. I was at Hummel's every spare second, making sure it was running the best it could. Like something my dad could be proud of, you know? Daniel had a job at the newspaper before he even had a diploma. Then we got engaged, despite the lack of legality in it all, and when we were twenty-six I decided I wanted a baby; and he didn't tell me no. We hired a surrogate and then we had Kadie.

"Then," he took a deep breath before continuing, "A little over a year ago, he left. He was there when I went to sleep and he was gone when I woke up. Do you have any idea how hard it is to tell a four year old that her daddy just up and left her in the middle of the night? And that all he left was a note that said he needed to find himself? Explaining that was by far the most difficult thing I've ever done in my entire life."

"Where'd he go?" Blaine asked breaking his silence.

"No idea," Kurt shook his head, "His sister is still in town so if something happened to him I assume she'd tell me. However, I don't think she ever liked me. She actually works at the school. Claudia Valente."

"I met her yesterday."

Kurt scoffed, "Lucky you. I'm sure she was charming."

"I'm the first person you've gone out with since then," Blaine asked bringing them back from their tangent.

"You saw how hard Santana was pushing me to ask you out," Kurt said looking at Blaine, and then directed his eyes towards the carpet, "Yeah."

"Would you have asked me out if she hadn't said anything in front of me?"

Kurt shrugged, "I don't know."

"And Daniel," Blaine questioned, "Is that finished?"

"I haven't heard from him in over a year. I really have no idea where he is."

"But if you did," Blaine prompted.

Blaine needed to know where Kurt's heart was and when Kurt didn't immediately respond, Blaine had his answer.

"I think," Blaine said before Kurt found his words, "I think that maybe it's not a good idea to continue this relationship. Romantically, I mean."

Blaine felt the pieces of himself that had begun to mend back together start chipping away again. It wasn't just as bad as Kurt being the parent of one of his students. Kurt had a fiancé out there...somewhere. They'd had a good time, a great time, but some things just weren't meant to work out.

"Oh," was the only thing Kurt said, his shoulders slumping. Blaine hated seeing the defeat in Kurt's body; but he knew it was for the best.

"There are a lot of ways this could get messy very quickly. And I'm Kadie's teacher. I don't think I could date a parent of a student in the best of situations."

"Maybe you're right," Kurt said looking crushed. Blaine wished he could take Kurt's hand or hold him tight, something that would comfort him. But he couldn't, not today. Not when the reality of the situation was still so raw.

Kurt was already standing up and reaching for his coat before Blaine heard the voices coming from the other side of the front door. He couldn't ask Kurt to stay, but there weren't any more words to say. Not tonight.

"I'll see you," Kurt said.

"Yeah," Blaine said as the front door opened and Cooper and Allison walked in.

Kurt rushed out the door, muttering a goodbye as he pulled the door shut behind him.

"Everything okay," Cooper asked.

"Yeah," Blaine said grabbing his coffee cup, and Kurt's, and headed towards the kitchen.

"Kurt left in a hurry," Cooper said, Allison next to him trying to shush him.

Blaine dropped the mugs into the sink, his back still to his brother and just quietly shrugged.

"Did you guys break up already?"

It didn't matter that Blaine had never told Cooper the truth about Kurt. Because now there wasn't anything to tell.

"Cooper," Allison scolded, "Leave him alone."

Blaine wanted nothing more to crawl into his bed and wait for tomorrow. A tomorrow that would be different from today, but not entirely unfamiliar. Tomorrow he would have to go back to what life was like before Kurt. Before the promise the universe had made him had been shattered. Feeling exhausted, the weight of the day pressing down on him, Blaine went wordlessly from the room, ignoring Cooper calling behind him.

* * *

When Kurt came in the door, feeling completely exhausted, and found Kadie and Santana at the kitchen table coloring; he couldn't help the way his heart swelled just a tiny bit. He could always bank on the sight of his girls making him feel a little bit better. Santana looked up from what looked like a picture of Belle—taking in Kurt's downtrodden expression—then whispered something to Kadie who nodded wordlessly as Santana got up from the table.

"You want to tell me why exactly I had to run over here for an emergency that didn't have to do with the restaurant. Is your dad okay?"

"My dad is fine," Kurt said taking Santana by the arm and leading her into the living room, out of Kadie's ear shot, and threw himself on the couch.

"It was Blaine," Kurt said closing his eyes like if that would block everything that had just happened, so that for a moment he could stop thinking about. But it was no use.

"Blaine," Santana said quizzically, "oh, the short guy from the restaurant?"

"Yes. Him."

"Did you finally decide you needed to get on that?"

Kurt opened his eyes and glared at his best friend.

"I didn't tell him about Kadie."

"Oh," she said stunned, "why the hell not?"

"A bunch of reasons that don't matter anymore," Kurt said, "and then I showed up to pick up Kadie from school today, and the teacher that they hadn't hired yet, it was Blaine."

"You mean to tell me that you went out with him—more than once—and you didn't even know what he did for a living? You didn't ask and he didn't tell? Jesus, Kurt. He could have been a serial killer."

"Well it turns out he's a kindergarten teacher."

"And," Santana prompted.

"And, we decided that it would be a good idea to not see each other anymore."

And maybe that was mostly true. Blaine was Kadie's teacher and that meant everything had changed. And Kurt surely couldn't force Blaine into seeing where their relationship could go. But now that Blaine also knew about Daniel, he was certain that Blaine's decision may have been less about Kadie and more about the man who'd abandoned him.

"You told him about the scum bag."

Kurt signed in response.

"So that's it," Santana questioned, "I mean, it's not like he hates kids. I'm sure this isn't the first time this has happened in the history of the world."

"He said he can't date one of his student's parents," Kurt said, "So yeah, that's it."

"Should I hate him?"

"No," he said quickly managing a fraction of a smile. He was glad to have Santana by his side but he also knew how she treated those who were unkind to those she loved, "He wasn't malicious and his points are valid. It's not the right time. I'm not ready."

Santana sat down on the couch next to Kurt, tugging at him arm until Kurt went willing into her arms, resting his head on her shoulder.

"It's out there," she whispered, "that love we grow old with. It's out there for both of us."

Kurt nodded, but kept his gaze forward, staring at the mantle which had been once filled with pictures of his family. Of his dad, his mom, of Kadie, of Santana, of him and Daniel. But the pictures of Daniel had been long removed by Santana, hidden in a box in the basement. To anyone else, the empty space was just that, empty space. But for Kurt they were the holes in his life. The ones he was trying to fill the best he could. The ones he thought would just stay unfilled forever. But maybe he just needed to fill them with different things and let that be enough.

"Stay for dinner," Kurt said looking up at Santana, wondering for just a moment how he could have done the last year without her.

"Only if you're showing Disney princesses afterward."

Kurt smiled and he can hear Kadie singing softly in the kitchen, still coloring, "I think that can be arranged."

* * *

It had been two weeks since the conversation in Blaine's living room. Two weeks of Kurt doing his best to avoid seeing Blaine when he picked up Kadie from school. But Blaine had gained a fan in Kurt's daughter—from the entire class, really—according to Kadie's lively retellings of her day during dinner. Of course Blaine would be the teacher that everyone loved.

Kurt flipped through the folder of reminders that had been sent home with Kadie. There was a letter informing parents that a student teacher would be joining the classroom in a few weeks until Christmas, the flyer for the bake sale, and the reminder that Monday was Open House.

Two weeks ago, Kurt had been positively giddy at the idea of going to Open House. Not that the night would be particularly exciting, but because it was the first school event that he could attend as a parent. He'd been waiting for this since the moment Kadie had been born.

You see, Burt Hummel, Kurt's father, was the greatest dad. For as long as he could remember, and especially after his mom died, Kurt's dad had been Kurt's hero, his role model, the person he strived to be in every aspect of his life. If Kurt could be even the smallest fraction as great of a father as Burt was, then he was doing alright. And Kurt couldn't remember a single school event, big or small, that his father hadn't attended.

All of Kurt's excitement had been before he'd met Blaine. And now, he wasn't go eager to go. But he'd made the mistake of telling his father about it, as excited as he had been in a pre-Blaine world, and now all of Kurt's excitement had transferred to his father.

"It was my duty as a father," Burt had said, "And it's going to be my duty as grandfather."

It was moments like this that made Kurt love his father just that much more. He knew that the only reason that his father was putting in so much effort was because this was something he was supposed to do with Daniel. It was one of those things that parents do. Together. But if he wasn't going to get the chance to do this the way he'd planned, he was certainly glad that it was his father by his side.

And Kadie was just as excited as Burt.

She led them into the school, guiding her father and grandfather through the halls of the school, talking a mile a minute about how these were the bathrooms and these were the second grade classrooms and down there was the lunch room. She was the ever-so-pleasant hostess. Kurt beamed at his daughter, grateful that still remained so alive after everything they'd been through. She was the light in the darkness that had surrounded him for the last year.

"In here daddy," Kadie said tugging at Kurt's hand, "In here, grandpa."

Kadie led them through the door of her classroom. Of Blaine's classroom. Where Kurt couldn't hide any longer.

There were already a dozen or so students are parents inside. Some were talking amongst themselves but he did see a glimpse of Blaine talking to a group of parents.

"This is where I sit," Kadie announced, excited to show her dad and her grandpa her chair and the nametag that she'd written that was tapped to the top of the table.

"It's the best seat in the house," Kurt said looking away from the desk and at the rest of the classroom.

They'd only been in school a few weeks, but the walls were covered with primary colors, letters, and numbers as a demonstration of how much they'd learned already, and how at that age, you're only limited by your imagination. The true tolls of life were still unexperienced and life was about coloring books and crafts with way too many sequins.

Kurt looked back at his daughter who was about to tell Burt something—a secret for only his ears—when the sound of the piano rang through the room, commanding everyone's attention with the quick run through the scale. And in a moment, Kadie was going, hurrying to the corner of the room. A moment later the piano was accompanied by a small choir of voices. Blaine's voice and the voices of all his students.

By the time they were half way through the song, Blaine had the enter room, including the adults, mesmerized. It was a ridiculous children's song, Old MacDonald, but there wasn't a single person in the room who wasn't turned into Blaine. The kids sang along and clapped their hands, expressions of joy on their faces. There was no way Kurt could suppress the smile that lit up his face when he looked over to see Kadie—happy—as she sang along. When the song was over the entire crowd broke into applause. It's the standing ovation Blaine deserved.

The crowd of five year olds shouted for an encore, but Blaine only promised something special for them in the morning. Now he has to meet all of their parents.

Kadie returned to Kurt a moment later and grabbed onto Kurt's hand tugging him through the crowd, towards Blaine.

"Daddy, you've got to meet my teacher."

Blaine looked up as another family walked away and this was when things were going to get interesting.

"Mr. Anderson," Kadie said grabbing his attention, "This is my daddy."

Kurt was unsure how to react. Do they shake hands? Pretend they don't already know each other's name? Do they pretend like they know each other but forget about the dancing and the kissing? Whatever it was, Kadie wasn't going to stick around and see it. She'd done her work and now whatever the little boy across the room was doing was more important.

Blaine laughed, "Sometimes kids have no attention spans at all."

"You can sing," Kurt said because it was the first thing that popped into his head.

"I can," Blaine responded with a bashful smile, 'Though, admittedly, m y audience as of late has consisted of five year olds. But they seem to love me, so I can't complain."

"Hummel's hosts karaoke night once a month. You should try your hand at a more mature audience."

"We'll see." Blaine had tried to hide the moment of hesitation, but Kurt spotted it.

Burt cleared his throat.

"Oh," Kurt said turning his attention to his father, "Dad, this is Blaine Anderson, Kadie's teacher. Blaine, this is my dad, Burt Hummel."

Kurt watched as Blaine and his father shook hands an exchanged pleasantries. His eyes met his father's, but he ignored the questioning looking in them. But despite Blaine's slight hesitation early, Blaine seemed completely unaffected by the situation they'd found themselves in. Maybe Blaine had completely moved on already. They were never actually dating to begin with.

"Don't you agree, Kurt?"

His father's voice pulled Kurt from the overwhelming what ifs and maybes that had congested his thinking into the conversation that was happening with Blaine.

"I was just telling Mr. Anderson here about how Kadie's been trying to read on her own a lot lately."

"I have some excellent recommendations if you're looking to accelerate her reading."

"That'll be great," Kurt said.

"I'll send a list home with Kadie tomorrow," Blaine said, "It was good to meet you Mr. Hummel. Kurt it was good to see you."

And then he excused himself to go talk to another family. Kurt couldn't help put follow Blaine with his eyes as he greeted a couple with a five year old at their feet and a newborn in their arms.

"Are we going to talk about this?"

Kurt's attention snapped back towards his father, "Talk about what?"

"What just happened?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Kid, you're no good at lyin' unless you want something," Burt said, "I was standing right here. You can't deny anything."

Kurt sighed, "I don't want to talk about this."

"But there's something to talk about?"

"Not here," Kurt said, "Definitely not here."

Burt dropped the subject and they drove home with Kadie telling her father and grandfather all about the different things they do every week in school. Like she didn't tell them every day. They ordered pizza and sat around Kurt's kitchen table just talking. Kurt caught his dad up on some of the stuff that was happening at Hummel's, Kadie listening like it was important to her. When it was time for bed, Kurt tucked his daughter in and kissed her goodnight. And when he went back downstairs he found his father still sitting at his kitchen table.

"Spill," Burt said gesturing at the empty chair across the table, a steaming mug of tea sitting in front of it.

Kurt slumped into his chair and wrapped his fingers around his mug, "The guy from Labor Day."

"Blaine?"

"Blaine."

"What happened?"

"I-I didn't tell him about Kadie. I know I should have, but I didn't. It had been so long since I'd been out with anyone; I just wanted to see what happened before I dropped all of our drama on his lap. And it came back to bite me in the ass. I showed up to pick Kadie up for school on the first day, and there he was."

"Then what happened?"

"We talked. I told him about Daniel and he—we—decided that it would be best if he didn't continue to have a romantic relationship."

"Is that what you really wanted?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Yes. I thought I was ready to jump into a new relationship head first, but maybe Blaine being Kadie's teacher was a sign that I need to slow down. Maybe as much as I think I'm ready, the universe just trying to tell me I'm not."

"This year has been hard on you, Kurt. You and Kadie. I'm so proud of you both. But just remember," Burt said, "everything happens for a reason."

A tiny laugh escaped Kurt, "That's it? That's your sage advice? No offense Dad, but I expected better from you."

Burt let out a hearty laugh, "That's what I got, bud. And you might not understand it today, or tomorrow, or a month from now. But eventually it'll all make sense."


	5. Chapter 5

It was the beginning of October—about two weeks after the open house—and Blaine was spending his Saturday night with his laptop open, looking for new and fun Halloween projects he could do with his class. He was already looking forward to the Halloween party they would have at school; all the kids dressed up as princesses and vampires, ninja turtles and cowgirls. This was always one of his favorite times of the year. His new teacher's aide, Marley Rose, had been squealing with excitement—practically jumping up and down—when Blaine brought up party plans.

Blaine had only been able to smile as Marley began rambling about how much she loved dressing up for Halloween when she was younger, how she couldn't wait to see all the kids dressed up, and how she was excited to come up with a costume for herself. It had been endearing. Now, remembering Marley's excitement and an hour deep into his internet search, Blaine couldn't suppress the excitement that bubbled inside him. Honestly, it was the first time he had been this excited for anything in weeks.

"Squirt," Cooper's voice called from outside the door, "Be ready in an hour."

Blaine's attention moved from his laptop to the doorway where Cooper now stood, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest in a white t-shirt in jeans. He hadn't changed after work.

"We're going to Hummel's," Cooper said answering Blaine's unspoken question.

Blaine's heart twisted inside his chest then began racing, "I can't. Not tonight."

"Of course you can," Cooper said, not moving from the doorway, "It's Saturday night, Blaine. And you have exactly three friends in this town and all of them are going to be at Hummel's tonight for karaoke."

 _Karaoke_ , Blaine remembered. Kurt had told him to come. But he'd forgotten about it since then, pushed it from his mind like he did with nearly everything Kurt related. They still hadn't found a way to be around each other without a heavy layer of awkwardness—at least Blaine hadn't. And he was perfectly fine with not attending karaoke night and risking seeing Kurt and having that awkwardness ruin a night out, or Kurt's night at work.

"I think I'd rather just stay in tonight."

"Blaine, we both know that your second favorite thing—after singing the alphabet with five year olds—is just singing. This is just like singing along with the radio, only in public."

"I know what karaoke is."

"Well, then I don't understand what all the fuss is about," Cooper said, finally coming further into the room and sitting himself down on the bed in front of Blaine, "Is this about Kurt?"

Blaine had only given Cooper the quick version of what had been going on between him and Kurt. It happened, now it wasn't. That's all Cooper really needed to know, "Of course not."

But Blaine hadn't convinced his brother, "You're a terrible liar, Blaine."

Blaine took a deep breath and focused his eyes on his computer screen, "I don't want to talk about this. And I don't want to go to Hummel's tonight."

"How many times did you guys even go out," Cooper questioned, not giving up though Blaine desperately wanted him to, "Once?"

"Twice," Blaine corrected, still not looking at his brother.

"It doesn't matter," Cooper said, "The point is, get over it."

"That's terrible advice."

Cooper shrugged, "I don't know what else you want me to tell you, Squirt. You both made a decision to not see each other anymore, but that doesn't mean you get to spend the rest of your life hiding in your room creating lesson plans that revolve around the color purple. I'm not going to let you do this to yourself."

"Cooper, I'm not—"

"You are," Cooper countered, "But it's my job as your big brother to stop you before you make things worse. So get dressed so that Kurt Hummel knows what he's missing. And most importantly, figure out what you're going to sing because I'm not letting you back into this house until you've shown this town what you're made of."

Blaine sighed, he knew Cooper was right. And he hated that. He'd spent too much time inside; he'd been ignoring Sam's calls and texts for too long. His wallowing period was over, for both Jason and for Kurt. He had to keep living his life. And like Cooper had said, he and Kurt had only gone out twice; they'd parted on amicable terms, lived in the same town—there was absolutely no reason for Blaine to hide from anyone or anything. He could do this.

* * *

Blaine noticed Sam standing outside of Hummel's as Cooper pulled into a parking spot not far from the entrance. The people were filtering into the door in large groups, just as they had the first night Blaine had been there.

"Doesn't Allison have anything to say about you going out all the time," Blaine asked getting out of the car and turning to look at his brother who had done the same.

"I don't go out _all_ the time," Cooper said in mock offense, "I only go out with you and that's been almost never lately. Besides, she says it gives her time to read the book for her book club."

"She's just glad she doesn't have to entertain you for a few hours," Blaine teased.

"Probably true, which is why she's the best wife anyone could ask for," Cooper said, "But you're stalling, let's get inside."

* * *

There were so many more people at Hummel's for Karaoke Night than there had been on that first Friday night. It seemed everyone, except Allison, came out for this special night. The floor was like a gigantic ocean of the Lima population and all the waitresses, Santana included, swam through it while skillfully balancing trays of food and drinks. Blaine's eyes immediately began scanning the crowd, looking—of course—for Kurt, but unsure of whether he actually wanted to find him. If Kurt wasn't there, then Blaine wouldn't have to deal with his feelings, only the anxiety of not knowing when he'd come face to face with Kurt again. Truth be told, Blaine couldn't wait until he could move on from this. He willed himself every day not to feel that jolt in his chest, or that drop in his stomach when he saw Kurt pick Kadie up from school. He was eager for the moment where he would no longer feel that unexplainable—and now incredibly uncomfortable—pull towards Kurt every time he saw him.

Blaine turned to Sam, hoping to start a conversation that would direct his thoughts away from Kurt, but Sam's eyes were firmly focused on the stage, where someone was singing a terrible rendition of Baby Got Back. Not that there would ever be a good rendition.

"You singing?" Sam asked, finally turning his attention away from the stage and towards Blaine as they found a table and sat down.

"Cooper says I'm not allowed to go home until I've sung," Blaine said looking pointedly at his brother before turning back towards Sam, "You?"

"Definitely," Sam told him excitedly, "but not this karaoke crap. Kurt lets me get up there with my guitar and show them how it's really done."

"That's awesome."

"So what are you going to sing?" Sam asked.

"I haven't decided yet, "Blaine answered. He'd been trying to rack his brain for the perfect song since Cooper had shoved him into the car. So far nothing felt right.

"He can sing anything at the drop of a hat," Cooper interjected.

Blaine rolled his eyes, "My brother greatly exaggerates my abilities."

"Dude, it's cool. I went to high school with a girl who could do that," Sam explained, "You can sing anything as long as it's not Bieber. That's totally mine."

"Bieber," Blaine questioned, shocked.

"I see you judging," Sam said, "But Biebs is totally cool."

Blaine bit back a comment about how no one thought "The Biebs" was cool as cheers erupted from somewhere in the bar and the latest performer exited the stage. Santana climbed to the center of the stage and grabbed the mic.

"Trouty Mouth, it's your turn. Get up here and sing," she said, her voice flat and uninterested before she walked right off stage.

Sam smiled at Blaine, "That's my cue."

"Trouty Mouth?"

Sam continued smiling and pointed to his jaw, then headed for the stage. He grabbed the guitar from the corner, sat down on a stool, and proceeded to do the most tolerable, acoustic, rendition of "Baby" Blaine had ever heard.

* * *

"He's here."

Kurt looked up from the stack of glasses he was cleaning when Santana walked into the back room. It was much quieter back there, away from all the bad singing. Saturday night was usually his night off, but one of the girls had called in sick and since they were expecting the insane crowd, Kurt felt he had no other choice but to drop Kadie off with his dad and come into work. He resigned himself to doing small jobs until they actually needed him on the floor. When he'd peeked out earlier—definitely not looking for Blaine—he knew it would only be a matter of time before they'd need his help at the bar.

"He?"

"Please don't play dumb, it doesn't look good on you. You know exactly who I'm talking about."

"I just don't know what you want me to do about it?"

"Does it bother you that he's here?"

"Santana, you're making this worse than it is, or than it needs to be. This is a public establishment in the town where he lives. I think I'd be more upset if he didn't come in. He can do what he pleases. And besides, I told him to come to karaoke night. The sooner you stop shoving Blaine in my face, the sooner I can move on."

"But you don't want to," Santana said. It wasn't a question.

"Santana," Kurt warned.

Santana let out frustrated sigh, "Maybe I'd believe you were trying to move on if you weren't hiding in the back room from a guy you went out with twice. So you can't use your parental tone with me unless you're going to act like an adult."

Kurt's mouth hung open as Santana stormed out of the room leaving Kurt with the ghost of her truthful words.

* * *

Blaine was two drinks in by the time Santana called Cooper's name. He wasn't looking to lose himself, but shortly after his glass was empty, there was another one in front of him. And Cooper promised to behave, so Blaine indulged himself just a bit. He didn't need alcohol to get up on that stage, he'd been singing in front of people—both young and old—since he was in high school. But there was something about the night that made him desperate for the burn of the whiskey on his tongue, to help clear his head. He still had no idea what he was going to sing.

As Cooper climbed on stage and the beginnings of "Hungry Like a Wolf" began bleeding through the speakers, Sam finished his drink, and Blaine headed towards the bar for another round. He watched his brother, listening as he managed to not sound absolutely terrible, as he moved through the tight space between people. If his focus had been on the bar, and not on Cooper, he would have noticed that the second bartender—who had not been there earlier— was perfectly dressed, had beautiful blue eyes, and a smile that—if Blaine's brain wasn't playing tricks on him—faltered for only a moment when he saw Blaine. They'd been there for hours, and when Blaine hadn't seen Kurt before, he'd assumed that he wasn't there at all. But there he was and suddenly they found themselves in a similar situation to the night they'd first met. Except they were no longer strangers. Kurt was no longer Blaine's fresh start.

Blaine's heart hammered in his chest, threatening to break out. He told himself it was a result of the awkwardness that always seemed to follow them around and managed to return a genuine smile.

"Hey," Kurt said.

"Hey."

"Whiskey?"

"You remembered?" Blaine said, immediately regretting it. They'd had a discussion about this, just a few feet away from where they stood now, only a few weeks ago.

"Of course I remembered," Kurt's beaming smile would have melted him right there, but then like a blimp in the night it wasn't as bright, "its bartender thing."

 _Right_ , Blaine reminded himself, _it was just part of his job_.

Kurt busied himself with Blaine's drink and Blaine turned his eyes back towards his brother who was just about done with his song. But Blaine's attention was still with Kurt, about how this felt oddly familiar. About how the entire bar was going on about their business, and only he and Kurt knew that there was something happening at this section of the bar. The people a few feet away didn't know that they were standing in the place where Blaine had wrapped himself around Kurt, had kissed him breathless, had thought that the butterflies in his stomach in relation to Kurt would be different. The people next to the jukebox didn't know that was where they danced until the sun came up.

When Kurt came back with his drink, Blaine realized that those moments would only be between him and Kurt and no one else. Something only they would know.

"Here you go," Kurt said placing the glass down on the counter, "I've added it to Cooper's tab."

"Thanks," Blaine smiled, then grabbed the glass and quickly turned to make his way back through the sea of people.

"Where's mine?" Sam asked as Blaine returned to the table.

"I think I figured out what I'm singing," Blaine said, ignoring the fact that yes, in his Kurt induced hysteria, he'd forgotten to order Sam's drink, "Would you mind playing the guitar for me?"

"Are you kidding? Of course," Sam bounced in his chair, forgetting all about his forgotten drink, "What are singing?"

Blaine just smiled.

It was another half an hour before Blaine's name was called. He gave Sam his drink in lieu of an apology as he explained what he wanted to sing. Cooper slapped him on the back as he made his way to the stage. There were now two stools in the center of the stage. They both sat down and Sam grabbed onto the mic' which was still in the stand.

"Ladies and Gentleman," Sam said into the microphone, "Mr. Blaine Anderson."

And then Sam played and Blaine sang.

_Is this the place we used to love?_

_Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?_

* * *

It was quickly becoming clear to Blaine that between Cooper and Sam, there was always somewhere to go, something to do—whether he wanted to or not. Cooper dragged him to the gym three times a week and this Saturday, a week after karaoke night, Cooper bought him tickets to the Nico Vega concert in Columbus. And what his brother failed to mention was that he wasn't going with. Blaine would be tagging along with some of Lima's finest.

This was exactly how he found himself tightly packed between Kurt and Sam in the backseat of Santana's Cobalt, speeding down the highway towards Columbus. One of the other servers from Hummel's, who was introduced to him as Jack, was in the passenger seat, and on the other side of Kurt was Puck. There wasn't much room for anyone to move their arms and if someone sneezed, there was a risk of injury. But even worse, Blaine had a rather long car ride ahead of him with Kurt pressed shoulder to knee against his side.

Kurt moved his arm just a fraction and ended up elbowing Blaine, just barely, in the arm.

Kurt scoffed and then looked at him, "I'm sorry. I told her we should have taken my car."

"I heard that Hummel," Santana shouted from behind the wheel, "But you have a car seat."

"That can be removed," Kurt argued, "And even without it there is more than enough room. I have an SUV."

"Stop whining," Santana said, "We'll be there before you know it."

"Fine," Kurt resigned, "but if I give Blaine a black eye, I will feel no guilt because it will be your fault."

Sam laughed, Jack laughed, Puck laughed, even Blaine laughed. Santana just rolled her eyes and kept driving, playing with the radio.

"She's lucky I actually wanted to go to this," Kurt said, "Otherwise I would have been pissed that she's forcing me to go."

"Forcing," Blaine questioned.

"Santana can be," Kurt said knowing full well that his best friend could hear him, "a little bossy. And when she wants to make sure that I do certain things, she goes to my dad first, and makes sure I have someone to watch Kadie. Then my dad will plan some elaborate grandpa-granddaughter thing, tell Kadie about it and then I don't have a choice but to let it happen. Which leaves me with a night to either sit at home by myself, or go with her on whatever escapade she wants to take me on."

Santana chuckled in the front.

"She sounds a bit like Cooper," Blaine said, "He slapped the ticket down in front of me last night and threatened to kick me out if I didn't go."

"That's harsh."

"I'd never do that to you Hummel," Santana interjected.

"I don't think he'd actually do it—and Allison wouldn't let him," Blaine explained, "But it's just easier if I don't argue."

Neither Kurt nor Blaine says another word the rest of the trip.

The concert is a lot more fun than Blaine thought it would be. Good music and good people will always make things better. He and Kurt hadn't really figured out how to be around each other in a post-Labor Day weekend way, but after one drink and a few songs, Blaine stopped thinking about it and just let everything be what it was. It was the moment he'd been waiting for for weeks. And when he finally felt like he could breathe properly around Kurt anymore, he had an amazing time.

As the group walked, most of them a little wobbly, through the crowd and towards the car, Kurt took the keys from Santana's hand. He opened the back door and ushered Santana, Puck, Sam and Jack in. As Blaine went to climb in next to them, Kurt stopped him with an apprehensive hand on his shoulder.

"These fools are going to pass out before we even get to the highway. Sit up front and keep me company?"

Blaine nodded and settled into the front while Kurt situated everyone else in the back. In their slight inebriated state, no one seemed to mind the lack of personal space.

Kurt hopped into the driver's seat and started the car. There was a wave of uncertainty that washed through Blaine, but he pushed it aside. Just let everything be what it is, he reminded himself as Kurt pulled out of the parking lot.

"I'm sorry things have been…weird between us."

"It's not your fault," Blaine said, "Not any more than it is mine."

"I had fun tonight. I had fun with you. We had fun before," Kurt said and let out a frustrated sigh, "Can we just forget about all the other stuff and be friends?"

"Yeah," Blaine said, "I think that would be great."

"Good," Kurt said smiling, "You're first official act as my friend is to take Sam back to your place tonight. The last time he crashed at my place he walked around naked and my daughter nearly saw him."

Blaine laughed, "He can crash on Cooper's couch. I would say I'm worried about Allison, but something tells me she'll just yell at him for exposing her to such terrible things. I think she was a saint in a previous life, or at least before she met Cooper."

"She's still a saint," Kurt commented, "She's the only one in the doctor's office who doesn't have Kadie hiding behind my leg the entire visit."

"I'm surprised Kadie hides from anyone. She's very friendly in class."

"She does very well with kids her age. But adults she needs to warm up to. But you've already won her over. Do you normally start recruiting the members of your fan club that young?"

Blaine laughed, "I've been contemplating teaching Pre-K so that I can get them even younger. Maybe even take over a day care so I can get them before they can even talk."

"I never had any teachers that I could look up to like that," Kurt said, "Not that young anyway. I'm glad Kadie has you."

"She's pretty amazing herself. She's _so_ creative. Are you guys really creating her Halloween costume?"

"She told you about that?" Kurt said, "But yes, we are. She came home one day and wanted to be Taylor Swift. I'm pretty sure some of the blame for that comes from Santana, but Kadie and I decided that I'd make her a Taylor Swift costume for Halloween."

"I can't wait to see it."

The rest of the car ride was filled with light chatter and the sound of the radio. Kurt pulled Santana's car into Cooper's driveway, put the car in park, but no one moved to get out.

"Thank you for not falling asleep on me," Kurt said giving Blaine an appreciative smile.

"You're welcome. I suppose I should be thanking Cooper in the morning. I had a great time."

"Me too," Kurt said.

Someone, half asleep, muttered from the backseat. It was incoherent but it reminded Blaine that it was late and that he needed to get himself and Sam inside. He pulled Sam from the car, draping his arm around his shoulder. He closed the back door, leaned down to wave goodbye to Kurt and watched as the car pulled out of the driveway and down the street before pulling Sam into the house.

Once Sam was situated on the couch, Blaine put himself to bed, the sky outside still dark but the night coming to an end reminded Blaine of the night he met Kurt. The weight of the hour pushing against him, he would drift off to a content sleep, finally finding just a bit of peace again.

_I've been lost in a backwood forest of failures and plastic money._

_I've been awake in a dream-like state of a coma until you show me._

* * *

Kurt woke up sprawled across his entire bed. He'd gotten home from work much later than he'd intended to the night before and hadn't gotten as much sleep as he wanted, or that he needed. But as the fog of morning began to lift from his brain, and the realization that it was Saturday crossed his mind, he smiled. Saturday was Kurt's favorite day of the week.

There was no alarm to wake him, there wasn't a five year old to get ready for school, and he had twenty-four hours without an obligation to anyone whose name wasn't Kadie. Saturdays were pajamas until after noon and cereal breakfasts, curled up on the couch watching animated movies until something more exciting came along. It was just Kurt and Kadie as the rest of the world didn't exist. And since the last two Saturdays had been karaoke night and the concert, he was determined to make up the lost time with his daughter.

Kurt started making Saturdays theirs shortly after Daniel left. Mostly because he felt like he was failing his daughter by leaving her with grandpa all night on Friday and during almost every other day of the week. Daniel had only been gone a week when it had become glaringly obvious that something was missing, and that the routine both he and Kadie had grown accustom to would no longer work. So Kurt moved his night shifts to day shifts, opening Hummel's and heading out just as the dinner rush began. But that meant that Kadie stayed with Grandpa all day. Burt promised that they were getting by just fine; that cartoons and the playhouse they bought her were keeping her occupied, that she wasn't yet phased by the void left by her dad leaving her and her father working when he used to be at home. They had no choice to adapt and pretty soon Saturday was theirs. A day without work, and now, without school, that could be just the two of them. And Kurt hoped that more than anything, for Kadie, that it was enough.

Kurt heard his bedroom door open slowly and lifted his head to see the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Her hair was a mess of brown curls, her eyes a blue he knew was just like his own as they watched him tentatively.

"Come on," Kurt said lifting the blanket up.

Kadie smiled and her eyes danced in the morning light as she ran towards the bed, leaping onto Kurt's bed and giggling as Kurt wrapped his arms around her.

The other thing Kurt loved about Saturdays? Cuddling with Kadie.

"So what are we doing today, Miss Kadie," Kurt said looking at his daughter's smiling face.

"I want to go to the park," Kadie said jubilantly.

"And then what?"

Kurt's heart exploded when Kadie wrinkled her nose, carefully plotting the rest of their day in her head.

"Cinderella."

"Cinderella?

"Uh huh," Kadie said with a toothy grin.

"Fine," Kurt huffed in jest, "But we're having meatloaf for dinner."

"No!"

"No," Kurt asked, "What should we have then?"

"Hmm," Kadie said putting her finger to her chin, "Tater tots."

"Tater tots," Kurt repeats appalled, but laughing. He'd attempted to teach his child better than this, "You can't just have tater tots. How about tater tots and peas?"

"Ew, Daddy no."

Kurt and Kadie continued to giggle together. This was why he loved Saturdays so much. On Saturday's his heart felt lighter. He was complete.

#break#

The park was really just a large playground next to the pee wee football field, but now that Kadie was in school she had so many new friends and they always seemed to be at the park. It was quickly becoming her new favorite place. And Kurt enjoyed coming out and enjoying the fresh air and the sun while the weather was still nice. And with October half way over, there were only a few nice weather days left. Winter would be here before they knew it.

Once they arrived, Kadie immediately saw someone she knew and with a "Daddy, can I please go play," Kurt was left to sit alone on a park bench.

He flipped his sunglasses over his eyes and watched as Kadie approached another little girl, say something that resulted in a nod from the other girl, presumably from her class, before they both took off running toward the swings.

Kurt flipped through his phone when he wasn't watching Kadie on the swing set, but found nothing of real interest. He reminded himself, yet again, that he should bring a book when they come to the park. Or Santana. Maybe next time he'd drag Santana out of bed to come with them.

He looked up, his eyes finding Kadie to make sure that she was alright, and when he was reassured that she was, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. On a bench not far away, sat Blaine, his jean clad legs tucked beneath him as he paged through a rather large book in an oversized sweatshirt. Kurt hesitated for a moment, then decided to get up and say hello. Because he and Blaine were friends, they'd decided on that, just as they'd decided to not be anything more. And if they were going to be friends then Kurt couldn't go back to avoiding him. That wasn't how that worked and that wasn't how he wanted to live his life.

"Hey."

Blaine looked up from his notebook, "Kurt."

"I saw you over here and I thought I'd say hi," Kurt explained, "I'm not bothering you am I?"

"Oh no. I was just going over some stuff for class on Monday," Blaine said rushed and quickly moved the papers from where they sat on the bench beside him, "Here, sit down."

"Thanks," Kurt said taking a seat beside him, "Are you hiding from Cooper?"

Blaine laughed, "No, not exactly. Sometimes I like to just give Allison and Cooper back the alone time I've taken from them. This way they've got a couple of hours where they don't have to worry about me."

"That's really nice of you."

"It's the least I can do," Blaine said, "I think they're trying to have a baby."

"That's exciting."

"It is," Blaine said, "but if they do, I'll have to find my own place; Which isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"Then why do you sound like it is?"

"I guess because it would mean that my adjustment period would be over. That I can finally say that my life is in Lima."

"It's not so bad here," Kurt said grinning.

"No," Blaine said looking at Kurt and smiling, "It's not."

"Daddy," Kadie called from a few feet away, looking sad.

"What's wrong," Kurt asked concerned.

"Abby had to go home," Kadie said then turned to Blaine, her sadness seemingly gone in an instant, "Hi, Mr. Anderson."

"Hi, Kadie."

"Are you ready to go too?" Kurt asked.

Kadie nodded.

Kurt turned to look at Blaine, "I guess we had better get going."

"Daddy, can Mr. Anderson come watch Cinderella with us?"

Startled, Kurt and Blaine looked at Kadie, and then at each other, unsure of how to answer.

"I-I don't," Blaine muttered, the first to find his voice.

"Please," Kadie begged, her big blue eyes focused on Blaine, no longer caring about her dad's permission but hoping for Blaine's agreement.

"I-uh-I guess, if it's okay with your dad."

Kurt looked at Blaine and saw part of what had drawn him to Blaine the night they met. He reminded himself that they were, and only could be, friends. But there was no way he could be Blaine's friend if he was avoiding him. He'd been trying that for weeks, it wasn't working.

"It's okay," Kurt said giving Blaine a smile, "But only if you don't mind PB & J for lunch."

Blaine smiled, "I just so happen to love PB & J."

Kadie squealed with excitement.

* * *

Kurt couldn't figure out what was stranger—for Blaine to be in his house, or for Blaine to be in his house eating a peanut butter and jelly at his kitchen table with his daughter. But there was a amity to it. Like the pieces were slowly beginning to slide into place and the awkwardness was almost completely depleted. Mostly because Kadie hadn't stopped talking since they walked in the door. It had been an innocent question, a friendly question to Blaine. Kurt had asked how school was going and apparently Kadie thought the question was directed at her and began telling Kurt, and Blaine, about all the things they did each day. And once she'd excitedly retold both of them about Blaine's lesson plans, she proceeded to launch herself into the scandalous Kindergarten gossip. Because apparently Dominic let Darlene borrow some crayons but then he let Laura borrow them and Darlene got mad.

"I had no idea my class was dealing with such a scandal."

"You'll have to keep an eye on little Dominic," Kurt said, "Make sure he doesn't break any little girl's hearts. And keep him away from Kadie."

Kurt told Kadie to put in what she wanted, sure that even though it was Cinderella this morning, it could easily be something else now. And it was. After the Disney castle came onto the screen, they were on an underwater adventure with Ariel and not with Cinderella and her evil stepmother. Kadie hurried back to the couch and sat herself in between Kurt and Blaine and a comfortable quiet blanketed the three.

But it wasn't more than forty-five minutes into the movie before Kadie had fallen fast asleep, curled up against Blaine.

"Let me move her," Kurt said quickly and quietly, slightly embarrassed by his daughter's unconscious actions.

"No," Blaine protested, "Leave her. Let her sleep a bit."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. She must be tired from the park."

"It's such a tough life she lives," Kurt said with a laugh.

"It gives you a break too."

"I get enough time to myself," Kurt said, "So really, without all the five year old drama, how's school going?"

"Actually really well," Blaine told him, a grin on his face.

Blaine told him about Marley and how she reminded her a bit of himself and how he loved getting to meet the rest of the faculty and how they were all super nice.

"Even Claudia?" Kurt asked, looking disgusted.

Blaine laughed, "Yes, even Claudia. She invited me out for drinks next weekend with some of the other second grade teachers."

"Watch your drink. She might poison it for fun."

"You really don't like her, do you?"

"We extremely dislike each other. I'm not even sure I know why anymore," Kurt explained, "and she hasn't seen Kadie since Daniel's been gone. Though Kadie said she saw her in school and she said hello. But I've invited her to her birthday party last year and she didn't come or call. And that is what bothers me more than whatever issues her and I have with each other. Claudia saw her all the time before and now that Daniel's gone, her aunt suddenly acts like she doesn't know who she is. Kadie doesn't deserve that."

Blaine didn't say anything, but looked down at the little girl sleeping against him. She definitely didn't deserve to lose so much all at once.

"So are you going to go?" Kurt asked.

"Huh?"

"For drinks"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Well if you decide not to go, Santana is throwing herself a birthday party, here, Friday night. You could come."

"How generous of you."

"Her apartment can barely fit more than her and Kadie in it, so I offered her my place. She's turning thirty this year so I figured she deserved a little get together. My dad is taking Kadie to the movies and then I think he promised he'd build her a fort."

"That actually sounds like fun," Blaine said, "Oh wow. Sometimes I think I am a five year old."

Kurt laughed, "I just hope Kadie doesn't grow up to hate me for the amount of time she spent her with her grandfather."

Blaine reached out and placed his hand, comfortingly, over Kurt's, "She's not going to hate you. Kids are resilient and they adapt to just about everything. It's not like you're absent, you're just trying to live your life."

"She's my world," Kurt said reaching out with his free hand to tuck a Kadie's hair behind her ear.

"And you're hers," Blaine said, "So she's only going to be happy if you are."

"I'm happy," Kurt said, "Given everything that's happened I'm happy."

"Then that's all the matters."


	6. Chapter 6

"Dude, I need you to come with me to Santana's birthday party tonight."

But now that he was actually there, Blaine had no idea why Sam had asked him to come if he was only going to be wrapped around a pretty blond girl on the couch, his tongue usually down her throat, less than an hour after they'd arrived, leaving Blaine standing in the corner of Kurt's living room, a half empty beer bottle in his hand, surrounded by a bunch of strangers, feeling more and more like a lost puppy as the minutes ticked on. Maybe it would be better if he'd at least seen Kurt, or even Santana, but the only face he recognized was Puck's—and he was across the room flirting with a short brunette.

"You know you're not going to see him for the rest of the night, right?" a voice said to his right. He didn't need to turn and look to know that voice belonged to Kurt.

"Hey," Blaine said, grateful for a familiar face.

"Hey."

"Does he even know her?"

Kurt laughed, "That's Quinn Fabray. She and Santana were sort of-kind of-best friends in high school. They're probably still that way now. She and Sam dated for a little while."

"And now?" Blaine questioned. Sam had never mentioned Quinn before.

"Well, now they just hook up sometimes when she's in town," Kurt told him, "But if you ask me, they'll be the next of our merry band of misfits to get married."

Kurt tried to keep the resentment from his voice, but he could tell by Blaine's reaction that he hadn't succeeded.

"You almost sound bitter."

"No, not bitter," Kurt said taking a sip of his beer, "Has my life turned out exactly how I wanted it to? Absolutely not. But that doesn't mean that I don't want to see my friends happy. We all went through a lot in high school. If and when Sam and Quinn decide to stop playing games and realize they still love each other, I will be sincerely happy for them, the same as I was, and am, for Mike and Tina, our other friends who live in Chicago."

It was true. He'd be happy for Sam and Quinn, and even Brittany and Santana if they ever figured their shit out and got married. It wasn't their fault that his life had been thrown off course. That the vision he had for himself at seventeen was no longer a reasonable dream. That this fairy tale didn't end with 'and they lived happily ever after.'

"I don't have any of the really good stuff, but I've got beer. You want another one?"

Blaine looked down at the beer in his hand, and then glanced at Sam on the couch whispering something into Quinn's ear that made her smile. He understood the way Kurt felt about his friend's happiness. He was happy, but it made him all the more aware of the curveballs that life had thrown him.

"Sure."

"I'll be right back."

"Blainers, I think I like you," someone said from behind as an arm was swung around his shoulders and Santana came up beside him. She was well on her way to shit faced and he could smell the alcohol on her breathe.

"And why's that?" he asked smiling. Santana was endearing when she'd been drinking.

"Because the second you showed up in their lives, something changed."

"They?"

"Kurt and Kadie. And I suppose if the two people I love the most in the world like you, you must be alright."

"Uh, thank you?"

"He's been happier," she told him, softly, her mouth close to his ear, like what she was sharing was a secret for only him to know, "He doesn't have that 'my ex is a piece of shit' look on his face anymore. He looks like Kurt."

"He didn't look like Kurt before?"

"You haven't known him as long as I have. You're just beginning to see the Kurt Hummel who I sort of hated in high school. That Kurt Hummel didn't let the shit in his life bring him down. But that asshole almost did him in. So whatever arrangement you two figured out, it made him _him_ again."

Blaine didn't respond. How could he? What would he even say? And how much weight could he put into Santana's intoxicated sharing?

"Don't fuck it up," she said, "If you hurt either of them, I'll rip your balls off so hard you'll wish you were born without them."

"I won't," Blaine promised, but he never got Santana's reaction because a moment later—almost as if she hadn't heard him—she was running off in the other direction, shouting in Spanish.

"What did Santana want?" Kurt asked upon his return, two beers in hand.

"To tell me she likes me," Blaine said with a proud smile.

"Really? She must be really drunk," Kurt said handing Blaine his beer.

Blaine feigned insult, "You don't think _I'm_ worthy of Santana's approval?"

"Of course you are," Kurt told him, "It's just that Santana isn't usually very free with her approval. Or at least her public declaration of it."

"Well then, I must be special."

"Yeah, you are."

Kurt smiled brightly and Blaine hoped that the Kurt he was seeing was the real Kurt, the one Santana spoke of. Because this Kurt was sure as hell special too.

* * *

Blaine heard it even before the "Mr. Anderson! Ms. Rose!" was being called from the corner of the classroom where the kids were supposed to be organizing the toys they'd used. He had been sitting at his desk, discussing lesson plans with Marley, when he heard the distinct sound of someone vomiting. It was that time of year again and the stomach flu had now officially infiltrated his classroom. Over the next few weeks Blaine would likely have multiple kids out because of it but he hoped that this was the only case that would present itself inside his classroom.

Hurried, Blaine moved from his desk towards the group of kids, all of them verbalizing their disgust, all circled around patient zero. He heard Marley yell something about going to get a janitor and did his best to brace his own stomach. No matter how many times he'd dealt with vomiting five year olds, it was almost as important that he not gag as it was to deal with the sick child.

When he saw the head of brown curls in the middle of the circle, a rancid pile of vomit at her feet and on her clothes; when he saw the sad blue eyes looking at him, filled with tears, Blaine felt his heart drop down into his gut.

"Everyone to their seats," Blaine commanded and the crowd slowly dissipated until it was just him and Kadie.

He squatted down until he could look Kadie in the eye.

"You don't feel good, do you?"

A fresh trail of tears ran down Kadie's cheeks as she shook her head.

"You want to go to the nurse and call your daddy?

Kadie nodded. A moment later, Marley came back into the classroom informing Blaine that a janitor would be there shortly.

Blaine stood, "Ms. Rose is going to take you to the nurse, okay Kadie?"

Marley extended her hand toward Kadie, her soft smile welcoming. But Kadie shook her head and reached for Blaine's hand instead.

Marley shot him a look and he remembered how Monday morning Kadie had drawn a picture of herself, Kurt and Blaine sitting on the couch in their living room. Marley had given him the same questioning look that day that she was now. The one that asked what was going on. He hadn't told her the whole story on Monday, but he explained how he'd run into Kurt and Kadie at the park, and they'd gone back to Kurt's for the afternoon. Nothing more, nothing less. He didn't want to keep explaining it. Especially to himself.

"I can take her," Blaine said.

Marley nodded and called attention of the rest of the class just as the janitor showed up with a mop and bucket.

"Come on, sweetie," Blaine said.

Blaine and Kadie walked down the hallway, hand in hand, towards the nurse's office. When they arrived the nurse was nowhere in sight, until he heard a now familiar sound coming from the bathroom and Nurse Penny poked her head out of the door.

"I'll be out in a few minutes, Mr. Anderson."

Without much thought, Blaine pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Kurt's number. He wondered if Kurt would answer; it was just after noon on a Thursday and Blaine knew that he was at Hummel's getting ready for the weekend shipments.

"Blaine?" Kurt said picking up just before it went to voicemail.

"Kurt, hey."

"Is everything alright?"

"We're okay right now, but Kadie got sick in class. I think she's got the stomach flu. We're in the nurse's office right now."

"Why didn't she call me?"

"Because it's seems to be an epidemic. She's with someone else right now."

"Shit," Kurt said, "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Can I talk to her?"

"Yeah, hold on."

Smiling, Blaine handed Kadie the phone, "Kadie, your dad wants to talk to you."

Kadie put Blaine's phone up to her ear. Blaine could hear Kurt speaking on the other end, but couldn't make out his words.

"Hi Daddy."

"My tummy hurts."

"No."

"Yes."

"Okay."

"I love you too."

"Ok."

Kadie handed the phone back to Blaine who put it back up to his ear.

"Hey."

"Hey. I can't get there now, we're short staffed. But I'm going to have my dad or Santana come pick her up and take her back to my place until I can get out of here."

"I'm going to stay with her until someone gets here."

"I-Thank you, Blaine. I mean it more than you know."

* * *

The moment Kurt got off the phone he knew two things: the first was that he needed to call his dad. The second was that he needed to call his dad before he broke down. He could feel it, the pressure was building behind his eyes, his chest felt like there was an elephant sitting on top of it and his head was racing through a million thoughts a second. Is she okay? What if she gets sick again? What if something happened before his dad could get there? What if something happened to his dad on the way there?

But he forced himself through the fog of 'what ifs' to pull out his phone and call his dad.

"Kurt, what's up? Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"Yeah-I-I am."

"Kurt, what's wrong?"

"Uh, Blaine called—can you pick her up—I don't think I can leave."

"Whoa, Kurt. Slow down buddy. What's going on?"

Kurt took a deep breath, "Uh, Blaine called. From school. Kadie—he-he thinks she has the stomach flu. I need someone to go get her."

"I'll be out of the door in five minutes, Kurt."

Kurt took the first real breath since Blaine had called, "Thanks, Dad."

"Kurt, it's going to be okay. I'll just take her back to your place and she and I will eat saltines and watch that movie about the fairies like we did every day until she started school. It's the stomach flu, Kurt. It's not the first or the last time she's going to have it."

"I know—it's just-," Kurt stopped the rest of his sentence from escaping his lips, but it didn't stop it from running through his mind.

And his father knew exactly what he wasn't saying.

"I know, Kurt. But that's what grandparents are for."

"Thanks again, Dad. I love you. I don't know I'd do without you."

"Well, there's no need to think about it," Burt said, "I love you too. Now go back to work and don't think about anything. I've got this."

Burt hung up before Kurt could say anything else. Before he could cry to his daddy because he was scared. But it had been the first time that Kadie had been sick that there wasn't someone that could get to her right away. When Daniel was around he would work during the day and Kurt at night and there was always someone there.

Kurt walked to the back and into the tiny room he called his office. He closed the door behind him, locking it just in case someone decided to come looking for him. He should be out there; the short staff was the reason he couldn't hurry to his daughter's side right away. But he needed to take a minute for himself. He needed to take a minute and break down the way he tried so hard not to do in front of all his staff and while he was on the phone with his father. So he sat down at his tiny desk, put his head in his hands and just let every bit of fear and sadness flow from his eyes, run down his cheeks, and fall onto the order forms that littered his desk.

When was the last time he'd done this? When was the last time he truly saw the world for how cruel it was and just let the pent up anger and sadness and fear pour from inside him?

Too long.

He didn't have the time. He worked all day to make sure that Hummel's was successful and that he could provide for Kadie, and he spent his night's making up for being away from Kadie all day. And now that she was in school, there were only so many hours left in the day, between dinner, homework and baths, to make sure that his daughter went to bed with a smile on her face. And in the rare moment he had for himself, Santana was dragging him around in search of fun.

And truthfully, it was hard to do it all by himself. It wasn't until these moments that Kurt appreciated his father for raising him after his mother died. He'd never been more grateful for his help now, and never felt guiltier for relying on him. Because his dad didn't have someone to rely on. Kurt spent the time that his father couldn't be home with the neighbor, whose son grew into one of his tormentors in high school. But once he was in school there were extra curriculars and the day he joined Glee Club was the day he knew that, eventually, everything would be okay. But now, sitting in his office, tears rolling down his cheeks, his whole world feeling like it was crumbling bit by bit, he wondered where okay had gone. He had okay, he had wonderful. But now he felt like the only peace he truly got was at the end of the night, Kadie wrapped around him, asleep on his shoulder, reminding him that despite the dark, there would always be the little beacon of light in his world. It would always guide him to okay. It would always guide him home.

* * *

 

It was twenty minutes before the door to the nurse's office opened and Burt Hummel walked swiftly through the door, Blaine immediately recognizing him from the open house. He would have gotten up to greet the man, but Kadie had fallen asleep against him—the same way she had in her living room a few weeks prior—and he couldn't bring himself to move.

"You didn't leave the rest of those kids alone, didja?" Burt asked him by way of greeting.

Blaine shook his head quickly, "No, of course not."

"She been out long?"

"A couple of minutes."

"How is she?"

"Nurse Penny says she has a fever. But she hasn't gotten sick since we got here."

"I wonder how long we have to wait until we can tease her about this," Burt said smiling down at his granddaughter, "Though if she's anything like Kurt we won't. Kurt got sick at the mall once. We weren't ever allowed to bring it up for fear of him killing us with his death glare."

Blaine laughed, a smile on his face at the thought of a young Kurt being intimidating to his parents.

"I know all about you and Kurt," Burt said bluntly.

"I'm sorry?" Blaine looked up at Burt, startled.

"I know there was something going on between you and Kurt."

"Oh."

"And I know that you two have a lot to figure out when it comes to your relationship."

"We're friends," Blaine told him. And regardless of any other feelings he may have had—and still had—for Kurt, it was the first time that those words rolled off his tongue that didn't leave a strange taste in his mouth.

"So I've been told," Burt said, "But can I give you some advice, Mr. Anderson? Because you seem like a nice guy."

"Uh, sure."

"Maybe the reasons you've both been denying yourself are the reasons you should both give in."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," Burt said, "Listen, all I know is that you two ain't together right now, and you still took care of Kadie. You went above and beyond what any other teacher would do and that's because you care. About both of them."

Blaine never got the chance to tell Burt that, of course he cared about both Kurt and Kadie. Kurt was his friend and Kadie was one of his students. Maybe he'd keep the part about how both of them were becoming so important to him to himself, but he never got the chance to say any of it because the little girl who'd fallen asleep against him was now awake. Kadie took one look at Burt and immediately burst into tears. Because her tummy hurt and she was scared, and as much Kadie had shown a preference to Blaine in the classroom, this was her grandpa. He was safety and love and she flung herself out of the chair and into his arms because even though her tummy hurt, seeing Burt reminded her that everything would be alright. She could go home to his arms, to her house, where she wouldn't have to leave until she was ready.

Blaine said goodbye to Kadie and her grandfather and headed back to his classroom. When he walked in Marley looked at him from the corner where she'd gathered everyone for story time. He'd never been more grateful for Marley as he was then. He sat down at his desk and tried to put his head back where it belonged, in the classroom, but he couldn't help but hear the words of advice Burt Hummel had just given him as they replayed over and over.

* * *

 

Blaine: How's Kadie feeling? We've missed her the last couple of days.

Kurt: She's almost back to normal. She'll be there bright and early Monday morning.

Blaine: That's good to hear.

Kurt: Thank you again, for taking care of her. I don't know how to repay you.

Blaine: Don't worry about it. I'll just be glad if half the class doesn't get sick now.

Kurt: So are you being dragged out tonight?

Blaine: Yep.

Kurt: Good. You're on my team. I hate bowling.

Blaine: Nobody hates bowling.

Kurt: Kurt hates bowling.

Blaine: Is Kurt just bad at bowling? Only people who are bad at bowling hate bowling.

Kurt: You just said no one hates bowling.

Blaine: I'm amending my previous statement.

Kurt: Ugh. Yes. I'm not great a bowling.

Kurt: You can bowl for both of us and I'll just watch you.

Blaine: You can go once and if you're really as bad as you say you are, I will give myself carpal tunnel for you.

Kurt: My hero!

* * *

Blaine pulled his car into Kurt's driveway just past midnight. Through the curtains he could see the light still on in the living room, and the truck parked at the curb belonged to Burt, who was inside watching Kadie, who was likely asleep by now. But even though there was someone waiting for him, Kurt didn't jump out of the car the moment Blaine moved it into park. He was quiet—they'd talked a bit on the drive over, but it was mostly Kurt complaining that Santana had insisted she drive him, but mysteriously couldn't drive him home leaving him to catch a ride with Blaine. Blaine looked over to meet the blue of Kurt's eyes which seemed to be watching him.

"Thank you," Kurt said, his lips curving up into the faintest of smiles, "for actually bowling for me a couple of times and for the ride home. I don't know what was up with Santana."

"It was my pleasure, both the bowling and the ride," Blaine said, "Though you weren't as bad as you think."

"I'm good at a lot of things, but not that. But with your help I didn't come in last."

"Puck's face when he realized he lost was pretty amazing."

Kurt took a deep breath; it was late and he didn't want the night to end, but bringing Blaine in at this hour, with his father inside would give the wrong impression.

"I should get inside, let my dad go home."

"Yeah, of course. I'll, uh, see you later."

"I was told that we're doing something every Friday night for a while. The group of us, I mean."

"Are we?"

"That's what Santana said. She says we should all do more than sit around, drink and work. That's what she does. The rest of us have other responsibilities."

"But it is nice to get away from them, even for a little while. I've never seen Coop as happy lately as he is when I tell him I'm going out."

"I have been having fun."

"Good," Blaine said, "You deserve it."

"I should get going."

"Alright," Blaine said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kurt got out of the car, and with a wave, watched as Blaine pulled out of the driveway and down the street. He turned to the door, ready to send his father home with a warm hug and crawl into bed when his phone rang in his pocket. As he dug it out, he wondered if it was Santana calling to apologize for disappearing or if something had happened to Blaine in the thirty-seconds he'd been gone. But when he finally looked to see who was calling—the name brightly displayed across the top of his screen—he stopped in his tracks, a cold shiver running through him that had nothing to do with the chilly October air. He was frozen in place under the glow of the porch light.

_Incoming Call…_

Daniel Valente


	7. Chapter 7

Halloween with a bunch of five year olds was fun, but incredibly tiring. Sixteen boys and girls came to class that morning dressed as something—or someone—different. Each of them was so excited to spend an entire day playing make believe, and Blaine smiled widely as they paraded around the classroom—and the school—trick or treating to other classrooms. They were all so excited to share their costumes, especially Kadie, who was telling everyone that she and her daddy made her costume and didn't buy it at the store.

Kadie's daddy who Blaine hadn't heard from all week. It wasn't that Kurt owed him any of his time or his attention; they were friends, not obligated to each other in any way. But they'd been spending so much time together: between Santana's weekly gatherings and then weekdays when Blaine would just go over to Kurt's and they would just hang out, enjoying music or movies, TV, or coloring with Kadie. But the text Blaine had sent on Sunday went unanswered. Maybe Kurt had been busy and had forgotten to reply, Blaine had certainly done that to Cooper a number of times. But when Kurt didn't pick up Kadie from school Monday or Tuesday, and his text on Wednesday was never answered, Blaine had begun to worry. The next morning he pulled Kadie aside before class started and asked her if her dad was alright. She seemed to think he was more than alright because they'd been spending every night that week watching movies. He dismissed her back to her table with a smile, knowing that was the only answer he was likely to get. And he had no other choice but to accept that.

It had been rough, but he and Kurt managed to find their way to a comfortable friendship with very little awkwardness; at least Blaine had thought so. And yes, sometimes Blaine remembered what if felt like to kiss Kurt and feel him, warm, beneath his fingers. And sometimes he wondered if the thoughts and feelings he had would still be there come May, when the school year was over, when Kadie was no longer his student, and when Kurt's heart had a little more time to heal. Until then, he was content waiting.

His phone beeped on his desk and he knew without looking that it was Sam making sure he wasn't about to bail on the Halloween party at Hummels. He wasn't. In fact, he was looking forward to it and was currently trying to figure out how much eye liner was appropriate for his pirate costume. Marley would be there in a little while and they were going to Hummels together. He'd come to really enjoy Marley's company and cherish their friendship since she came to work at the school, especially when she seemed to give him a knowing look when he told her about his weekends with Kurt and Kadie. He may not have ever said it to her out loud, that despite all of his efforts, his feelings for Kurt were not entirely platonic, but Marley knew his secret anyway and silently promised not to tell a soul.

An hour later, Blaine and Marley took their seats on either side of Sam at the large table they had reserved. Puck was dressed in a suit as a member of the secret service; Santana—though working—was dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, complete with the basket and braids; Marley was dressed in a glove tight dress and high platform shoes, making a lovely Posh Spice that Sam, dressed as Alan from The Hangover (complete with fake baby), was practically drooling over. They ordered drinks and waited around to see where the night would take them.

"Where's Kurt?" Blaine asked another hour later. He was sitting at the table alone—Sam and Marley were on the dance floor—when Santana brought another round of drinks.

"He took the tiniest Hummel trick or treating and said he'd be here after bedtime and the arrival of grandpa Hummel," Santana told him then added, "and if you see him going into the back tonight, you tattle to me. He's supposed to having fun."

Before Santana could walk away, Blaine took a risk in asking what he'd been meaning to ask all night, "Has Kurt—is he alright?"

"What do you mean?" Santana asked curiously, protectively.

"I don't know. He's just seemed…a little distant this week."

"He's busy," Santana snapped, "Even if I tell him to take a fucking break every once and a while."

"I know. I was just concerned."

Santana deflated, "I know. He'll be here soon and you'll see you had nothing to worry about."

The hours went by. Kurt never showed up.

* * *

He should have been out. He knew that. He told Santana he would be at Hummels after trick or treating was over and Kadie was sugar high and safely in his father's care. But when they'd gotten home and Kurt had finished wiping what remained of a pop star from his daughter's face, he didn't feel much like changing into a costume and celebrating amongst the masses. Though, right now, he really wanted to be anyone but himself.

It had been a week. And for those seven days Kurt tried to go on with his life as if everything was alright, while staring at his phone, waiting to see if it would light up again; if the name that appeared on Friday would rear its ugly head again. He hadn't answered the phone when Daniel had called, he'd stood on the porch until the screen went blank, then went into the house and sent his dad home as quickly as possible. And then he sat in the dark living room staring at the phone that showed no sign of life. Daniel hadn't left a voicemail and he hadn't called back. After the first time trying to contact Kurt in over a year, why had Daniel stopped trying to easily? And why now? Why, when Kurt finally felt like he was getting his life back together without Daniel, did this have to happen? All these were new unanswered questions, piled on top of an already large list. Maybe it had been an accident—a call by mistake. But the damage had been done. Kurt had tried so hard to push Daniel to the back of his mind and he'd been half way there before a single phone call wiped away all his hard work.

So instead of hugging his father and being with his friends, he was at home. Kadie was asleep in her bed, his father was doing whatever it was that Burt Hummel did in his free time, and Kurt sat in his living room, taking comfort in his couch, the wound that had just started to really heal tearing open, the tightness in his chest just as strong as it had been the morning he'd woken up alone. The one that was with him for a months' worth of mornings after that. The pressure building behind his eyes, he told himself that he shouldn't cry. But it was that or scream so he let the tears pool and then slide down his cheeks into cushions of the couch. But he wasn't sad, not really, he was angry.

Kurt sucked in a deep breath then picked up the pillow beside him and threw it across the room. It landed with a soft thud in front of the bookcase. It wasn't enough that Daniel had destroyed what was, he was now destroying what could be. Because of a stupid phone call and because he'd left him without the slightest bit of closure. He wasn't sure how much he cared anymore that Daniel was gone, it was that he'd left Kurt stuck, unsure of how to go on. He wasn't able to move forward and he wasn't able to go back. He was left to raise their daughter alone, live in the house they'd made their own, sleep in a bed that once held two. And without knowing why he'd left and if he ever planned on coming back.

And what would Kurt do if Daniel called back? If there was a voice on the other end of the phone? What would he do if Daniel showed up on his doorstep? Their doorstep. If he swept back in there tonight and told him that he still loved him, that he'd made the greatest mistake of his life by leaving that day, what would Kurt do? What would he say?

Kurt didn't have the answers to any of those questions. Blaine had asked him once, and not knowing had contributed to the demise of their romantic relationship. But what was even worse than not knowing was the idea that he might never know. Daniel would likely never call again; he'd likely never step foot in this house again; see his daughter again. And the only thing Kurt did know was that he needed to learn to be okay with that. He needed to learn that he couldn't spend his life with the unanswered questions hanging over him, preventing him from really living his life; preventing him from finding the happiness that had been taken away from him. Maybe Daniel would just stay gone and Kurt could learn how to live again.

He took another deep breath, sat up a bit on the couch and looked around the room. He'd redecorate, maybe buy a new couch. Starting at soon as humanly possible, he would rid the house of all the negative energy, all the bad memories and all of the sadness. He'd let the light really shine into the house, give it life again…give him life again. He wiped the final tear from his cheek and let the possibility wash over him. Tomorrow he'd get paint and actually look through the stack of catalogs that were sitting next to his bed. Kadie was asking to paint her room purple, and maybe now was the time to give in. Now was the time for them to get their lives back.

His phone beeped and he nervously reached for it where it sat on the coffee table. For the first time in seven days, he smiled a tiny smile when he saw that it was Blaine asking if he was coming up.

_Blaine._

The only thing more confusing and frustrating than trying to figure out everything with Daniel, was trying to figure out everything with Blaine, especially where his feelings were concerned. Being with Blaine those first couple of days had been like waking up from a long sleep. Like looking towards the sky after a long time of staring at the dirt. They'd fallen so quickly—maybe even too quickly—into things that trying to come back from that had been long and a bit difficult, but it had been for the best. Because the time since then, Kurt had gotten to know Blaine. He'd gotten to see how amazing of a teacher he was. Sometimes he was sure that Kadie liked Blaine more than him. Every day it was Mr. Anderson this and Mr. Anderson that, and Kurt could see how much Kadie was learning, and how much she loved learning it. It was the mark of a truly great teacher. But maybe more importantly, he'd gotten to know Blaine as a friend. As someone Kurt could rely on. When Kadie got sick at school, Blaine had not only stayed with her, but he'd reassured him on the phone that everything would be okay when Kurt was certain the world was ending. He'd become his partner on those Friday nights were Kurt didn't want to leave Kadie with her grandfather, so instead they played board games at his kitchen table. And sometimes Blaine would come over and they would just be. They had a ton in common, and Blaine always had a story to tell about his students—both past and present. And talking to an adult was nice. Blaine had become a part of his life and somehow while they were trying so desperately to just be friends, Kurt managed to fall for Blaine more than ever. Blaine was kind and charming, funny and sweet, and he was amazing with Kadie. While they were trying to make things easier on themselves, Kurt had found himself more enchanted by Blaine. When he was with Blaine, he felt like he was living his life.

Kurt Hummel was not going to stay stuck anymore. He couldn't keep waiting for someone else to come and bring him happiness or make him smile. In the dark of his living room he made a vow: that he would say FUCK YOU to his past and remember that there were people in his life now who made him smile: Kadie, his father, Santana, Blaine. He could, and would, move forward. It was time for Kurt to get what he wanted, to live his life like some asshole hadn't destroyed it. So he sent a text to Santana only to receive a reply a moment later saying that she was heading home, his chance to start anew would have to wait until morning. But he'd go to sleep and wake up rested, ready to face his new life with a lighter heart. The world was within his reach. It was time he snatched it up.

* * *

Kurt: Are you going to the movies with us tonight?

Blaine: Bowling is to Kurt Hummel as horror movies are to Blaine Anderson.

Kurt: You're bad at horror movies?

Blaine: Ha. Ha. You're funny. I hate them.

Kurt: Then tell Santana she can see this one on her own. We can see something else.

Blaine: I tried suggesting alternatives and she made it sound like a personal insult. So my options are go, or stay home.

Blaine: It's not even Halloween anymore.

Kurt: Is Cooper still threatening to kick you out if you don't go socialize with the locals?

Blaine: Actually, he has no idea I have plans tonight. He and Allison are having date night.

Kurt: You could have the house to yourself.

Blaine: But that's LAME Kurt.

Kurt: You sound like my daughter.

Blaine: Another reason I should spend time with adults. I'm starting to sound like my students.

Kurt: Your students can't get into R-rated movies, Blaine.

Blaine: I know that.

Kurt: Do you want me to talk to Santana?

Blaine: No. But you're not allowed to judge me when I cover my eyes.

Kurt: I can't make any promises.


	8. Chapter 8

The rapidly falling rain and even faster falling temperatures made spending Saturdays outside next to impossible; especially when the skies were gloomy and rain left the world soggy. On this particular Saturday in early November, when the Midwest would usually be worried about the threat of snow, Lima—particularly Kurt and Kadie—were being kept inside as the early morning rain morphed into a late morning thunderstorm that lit up the sky and shook the world around them. And even more disappointing than the crappy weather, at least for Kurt, was that Kadie didn't seem all the interested in spending the entire day with her dad. After breakfast she'd disappeared into her room and, for the first time in weeks, didn't have a long list of activities she wanted to do. Slightly panicking that the days that Kadie was going to want to spend with him were quickly dwindling, Kurt settled himself on the couch with a cup of coffee and listened to the sound of the house, accompanied by the constant patter of rain and occasional roar of thunder.

Taking a sip from his cup, flinching slightly at the heat, Kurt looked around the living room and declared that it was time to rearrange the furniture. He'd spent every day since Halloween thinking about the perfect place to put the chair his dad loved so that it was still at a perfect angle in relation to the TV, but he had yet to but any action into his plan. What better time than a gloomy Saturday when his daughter would rather play with her dolls?

He hadn't told anyone about Daniel's phone call, and that was how it was going to stay. If Santana knew, she'd go back to watching him like a hawk, like she had in those first months after his ex had left. She'd ask him if he was okay every five minutes and insist on spending most nights sleeping on his couch. And he didn't need that. Daniel hadn't called again and Kurt was…he was okay. If Blaine knew…he'd certainly lose his chance at finding out exactly how Blaine felt. He wanted to move forward, with Blaine, without the constant reminder of his past coming between them. He could do that, right?

He'd finally gotten around to answering Blaine's texts last Saturday morning and when the group went to the movies that night, Kurt stuck close to Blaine—like he had before—and did his best not to laugh at how squeamish he was the entire movie. Movies as gruesome as the one Santana had chosen weren't exactly his cup of tea either, so he loved an excuse to watch Blaine as he peaked at the screen through his fingers. It was incredibly endearing. And twenty minutes before the end of the movie, when Blaine asked him to escape to the lobby, Kurt was happy to just sit and talk while they waited for the rest of the group. There had been one vacant table, and they sat there, surrounded by couples on dates, and people watched. It was fun and simple, and it made Kurt's heart flip around in his chest. When he got home that night, he promised himself that he would talk to Blaine, see where they stood, hopefully without destroying what they'd worked so hard to build.

Until then, they were still friends, and he could still call Blaine over to help him redecorate. He needed an extra set of hands to help him move furniture and tell him if the end table being in that corner threw off the entire room. And that's what friends were for, right? You're gorgeous, sweet, charming friends.

It took one phone call and thirty minutes, and Blaine was running up Kurt's driveway, out of the rain, and into Kurt's foyer. Blaine's hair glistened in the rain that hadn't let up all morning. Blaine took his jacket off and hung it on the coat rack and Kurt felt a tingle of joy at how familiar Blaine was with his house, how at home he'd begun to feel. He also felt a tingle of something else when he finally took in Blaine's outfit. Usually Blaine dressed…well, like a teacher: a lot of sweaters and slacks. When Kurt mentioned there would be some heavy lifting, he hadn't expected Blaine to show up in a tight fitting pair of jeans and a black t-shirt that looked like it had been worn and washed for many years and just happened to hug him in all the right places. Kurt was dressed in his loosest fitting jeans and a white t-shirt. It was the least dressed he'd been in front of Blaine and he thought for a moment that he caught Blaine's eyes as they took in his appearance, with a look in his eye that definitely mirrored Kurt's.

"So what kind of changes did you have in mind?" Blaine asked, pulling Kurt's attention away from Blaine's outfit and back to Blaine.

"I don't know," Kurt said leading them into the living room, stopping at the entryway to eye the room, and steal another glance at Blaine, "I just want something new, something different."

"A different wall color?"

"No," Kurt shook his head, "I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of commitment. I just want something I can try, see if I like it. And if I don't, I can change it back."

Blaine nodded and eyed the room, sweeping his gaze over the furniture and this time as Blaine's eyes took Kurt in, they met Kurt's and both men hurried to focus their eyes elsewhere.

"We need music," Kurt exclaimed hurrying towards in the kitchen, returning a moment later with a portable CD player.

"I don't remember the last time I saw one of those," Blaine said with a laugh.

"I'm not buying Kadie an iPod so we have one of these until I give her headphones to drown me out with—when she's my age."

Blaine chuckled as Kurt pressed play and a pop song came through the speakers, upbeat and fun, and Kurt turned up the volume until it was just loud enough that he could still hear Blaine ask, "Where do we start?"

* * *

Forty five minutes later, the loveseat was in front of the bookcase, the couch was in front of the window and the chair his father loved was opposite the loveseat in perfect view of the television. The coffee table was in the middle, vacant of the pile of magazines that had been there earlier, and Kurt and Blaine were absolutely exhausted. During the time it had taken Kurt to finally settle on the arrangement, each piece of furniture had been moved at least twice and Blaine had helped move each pieces wordlessly, and with a smile. And when Blaine smiled, Kurt couldn't help but smile himself. A smiling Blaine was one of Kurt's favorite things in the world. A smiling Blaine in a tight fitting t-shirt, moving furniture, his muscles contracting beneath the material, was another. And it was an incredible distraction. So much so that he'd left Blaine straining to hold up his end of the couch until Kurt could focus and give him direction, his face turning red.

From the corner, Kurt took in their work. It may have been the same room, just jumbled up, but it felt different and refreshing, just how he'd wanted it. It was the first of many changes he planned on making, both in his house and in his life.

The song changed—it was still upbeat, but unfamiliar to both of them, however, Kurt was so overjoyed at having marked something off his to do list, he started dancing. It was goofy, without any real rhythm to it, but it was perfect. And when Blaine laughed and then joined him in his insanity, it was even better. For three minutes they were silly, like children. The song changed again. Now it was no longer an upbeat pop song, but an acoustic rock track, a softer tempo. For a moment they both stood there as the song started, and when Kurt looked at Blaine he saw the smile that was capable of melting his insides, especially the part of his heart that had been frozen for so long. Surprisingly, Blaine extended his hand in a silent question. Kurt took a deep breath and nodded, placing his hand in Blaine's. Together they swayed to the music, Blaine's hands around Kurt's waist, Kurt's arms draped over Blaine's shoulders, and Kurt's thoughts drifted to the night of the bon fire, the first night they danced like this. That night felt like so long ago, but the memory was still vivid in Kurt's mind. And the feeling, of being in Blaine's arms, holding Blaine close, was what Kurt had been missing all these months. When his life had been dark and grey, Blaine came in with a light that came from inside him; that drew Kurt to him, even when he was trying his hardest to stay away. He felt safe and his heart danced, like it was screaming, "Finally! Finally!"

Kurt leaned back, but stayed in Blaine's arms, certain that he never wanted to step outside the safety and warmth of them ever again. When he looked into Blaine's eyes and was now certain that there was fire inside them, their warm honey color glowing. He'd remembered the same eyes from the night of the bon fire, before he'd leaned forward and kissed Blaine for the first time. Before his lips met Blaine's and the whole world melted away until it was just the two of them. With a deep breath in, Kurt was desperate to feel that way again.

"I thought you said this CD was for Kadie," Blaine said, his voice a heavy whisper. This song definitely wasn't what a five year old would listen to.

"Sometimes I have to put a little something on there for me."

At some point they'd stopped moving, the song was coming to an end, the voices were beginning to fade and Kurt knew if he didn't do something the moment would be over. They'd move on. So before the last note rang out, he leaned in and placed his lips against Blaine's. He was tentative, not pushing any farther until he knew how Blaine would react. But when Blaine responded with enthusiasm, pulling Kurt closer to him as they kissed, Kurt smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around Blaine's neck, relishing in the softness of Blaine's hair against his fingers. The song changed but neither of them noticed; staying wrapped up in each other. The rain was falling and the wind was howling outside, but inside Kurt's house everything was bright and sunny for the first time in so long.

That was, until the power went out. The music stopped and after a moment their connection broke at the sound of someone coming down the stairs.

"Daddy," Kadie called from the landing.

"It's okay, baby," Kurt said pulling himself out of Blaine's arms, "Come on down and sit on the couch."

Kadie quickly followed her daddy's instruction. It was still early afternoon and the grey sky managed to illuminate the house enough that they didn't need flashlights or candles, at least not yet. And it was easy in the light to see the look on Blaine's face. The abrupt ending to their kiss had left him searching for answers. Answers he wasn't going to get now, not with Kadie in the room, and not while Kurt's phone was ringing incessantly. Kurt grabbed it in a huff from the end table that they'd found the perfect corner for.

"Yeah," he said only briefly seeing that it was the bar calling.

"Hey-uh-Kurt. I know this is your day with your daughter and everything, but the power just went out at the bar and no one seems to know what to do."

It was Chuck. Though, it shouldn't have been Chuck since he'd purposefully scheduled Puck on Saturday afternoons and Santana at night. He trusted them both not to call him like this, to stay level headed in situations like this.

"Where is Puck?" Kurt asked frustrated.

"Called and said he was sick. Tommy's here to watch the bar."

"Shit," Kurt muttered.

"Daddy!" Kadie exclaimed.

Kurt shot his daughter an apologetic look and was almost certain that he could feel Blaine's amused eyes on him.

"I'll, uh, I'll be there as soon as I can," Kurt said and then hung up muttering something about better training and then turning to Blaine, "The power is out at the bar and apparently I didn't hire competent people."

"Anything you need me to do?"

"Yes, actually," Kurt said, "Can you—can you stay here with Kadie? I hate to ask but my dad went fishing and if I wait for Santana to get here I won't get there until after Christmas."

"Yeah, of course. Kurt. Go. I've got this."

"Right, of course. Thank you," Kurt said, his eyes trying their best to apologize, for asking him to babysit and for leaving him without answers for a little while longer.

"Alright, sweetie," Kurt said walking over to Kadie who was sitting quietly on the couch holding tight to a doll, "I have to run to work, but Blaine is going to stay with you until I get back, okay?"

"I'm scared, Daddy," Kadie said, her voice small and trembling.

Kurt was certain that the entire state could hear his heart breaking, "I know baby, but everything is okay, I promise. It's just the wind. Mr. Anderson is going to stay with you, okay? I bet the power is even back on before I get back. It's not even dark, not really. I promise I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I love you, okay?"

"I love you too," Kadie whispered.

Kurt kissed Kadie's forehead and was heading towards the door before he convinced himself that the entire bar could burn down right now and he wouldn't care. He shouted a goodbye to both Blaine and Kadie as he grabbed his keys and jacket and disappeared out the front door.

* * *

Children were Blaine's profession. Well, sort of. He could teach them, entertain them, and hell, even charm them. It usually came natural. But standing in Kurt's living room, faced with the task of keeping the tears from Kadie's eyes, the lack of electricity and the echo of Kurt's kiss were making it hard for him to function.

"Can I color?" Kadie asked.

Blaine sighed in relief; Kadie would take care of everything, "Of course."

"Will you color with me, Mr. Anderson?"

Blaine smiled, "I'd be honored."

Kadie disappeared upstairs and came back a few minutes later with a large stack of coloring books and a 64 pack of Crayola. She spread everything out on the coffee table and handed Blaine a Disney princess coloring book, explaining that it was her daddy's favorite, before opening up a Hello Kitty book and grabbing a purple crayon. Mindlessly he took the blue crayon and started coloring in Belle's apron as he thought about the last fifteen minutes. They'd passed in a blur, one minute he was dancing with Kurt, the next minute he was kissing him and now he was coloring with his daughter. The kiss had been wonderful. Every time he'd kissed Kurt had been wonderful, but this kiss had thrown every bit of their platonic relationship that they'd built over the last few months out the window. This changed everything and Kurt wasn't here to figure out what exactly had changed.

The front door opened and both Kadie and Blaine's head shot up, but a second later, it wasn't Kurt coming into the house, it was Santana.

"Auntie Tana," Kadie shouted running to hug her.

"Hey, kid, where's your daddy?"

"He had to go to work."

Santana rolled her eyes and when she spoke she was no longer looking at Kadie, rather at Blaine, "This is all Puckerman's fault."

Blaine shrugged.

"I told Puckerman that unless he was on his death bed, he was to show up for all of his Saturday shifts," Santana said sitting down in the chair next to the couch, crossing her knee high booted legs, "I like what he did to the place."

Blaine shifted wordlessly from the floor to the couch.

"This wouldn't have happened if he would just give someone else a management position. But no, he insists on doing it all himself. Whatever idiot they've got working could have called me to the bar instead. I don't have any power either."

Kadie moved to sit with Blaine on the couch, content with watching the grown-ups chat. Well, Santana was mostly ranting and Blaine was watching her, but it was unlikely Kadie knew the difference.

"I just stopped by to see if everything was okay," Santana said, "But it seems like you've got the little one under control."

"I think we're doing alright," Blaine said, "Right, Kadie?"

"Me and Mr. Anderson were coloring," Kadie said excited to be part of the conversation.

"Can I see?" Santana asked.

With a smile Kadie jumped off the couch and brought the Hello Kitty coloring book she'd been working in over to Santana who smiled and kissed Kadie's temple, "It's beautiful Kay."

Giddy, Kadie moved back to the couch next to Blaine.

"Mr. Anderson, are you my daddy's husband?" Kadie interrogated in a way only a five year old could. Like she'd been waiting her entire life to ask the question and get an answer, even though her attention was solely on the coloring book in her lap. Her feet kicking off the edge of the couch.

Blaine's eyes widened at the question, the air sucked from his lungs. The answer was easy, but the question had taken him by surprise. How long had Kadie been watching them?

"Uh, no, sweetie," Blaine said to Kadie who was still coloring Hello Kitty's shirt green, "Your daddy and I are just friends."

From the couch, Santana made a noise.

"Then why did he kiss you?"

"Alright," Santana said flinging herself off the chair, "I've got a little while before I need to go so why don't you go upstairs and grab that board game you've been begging me to play and me, you and , Blaine—er, Mr. Anderson—here can play while we can still see."

"Okay," Kadie said excitedly and disappeared back upstairs.

"Care to explain yourself?" Santana asked towering over Blaine as he sat, her hands on her hips.

"Would it make any difference if I tell you that he kissed me?"

"No," Santana said bluntly, "What might make a bit of difference is if you tell me what you plan to do about it."

"I-I don't know. I haven't had a chance to think about it. Right after it happened the power went out and then he had to run to the bar and—"

"I think you're an idiot," Santana interrupted.

"I'm sorry?"

"You. You're an idiot. And we're friends now so I can tell you that. You have all these…god, they're not even morals…but whatever it is that is keeping you from getting all up on my friend Hummel, you need to let it go."

"That's not really any of your business."

"Kurt is my business, so it is," she said taking a seat next to him, "Let me be real for a minute. You seem like a perfectly acceptable guy. Kadie seems to think you've hung the stars since she never stops talking about you. And I trust that little girl's judgment. But I can only take this for so long before I start to not like you Blaine. And I don't want to not like you because the two people in this world that I give a damn about seem to like you. You can't just pretend like whatever happened between you and Kurt didn't happen."

"I'm not."

"You are. And I'm breaking all sorts of codes here, but I think he genuinely likes you. You're good for him the way that other piece of s-h-i-t never was. Not in all those years. So please do you, him, and me a favor and figure this whole thing out."

Blaine didn't have a chance to respond—though he wasn't sure he could have found words to say to Santana in that moment—because Kadie was clamoring down the stairs with a box in her hand.

* * *

Santana left after playing two rounds of Guess Who?, both that were won by Kadie. The power was still out, but she promised that as soon as she got to the bar, she'd send Kurt home. As the last of the light began to fade, Blaine and Kadie searched the house for flashlights and candles and then settled on the couch with a couple coloring books. When Kurt finally came home, Kadie was asleep, leaning against his arm the way she had the first day Blaine had come over, while he was texting Cooper and Sam.

"I'm so sorry," Kurt said in a whisper when he saw that Kadie was asleep, "I thought the power would be back on now, but according to the power company, that probably won't be until morning. They got an earful from me."

"It's a not a problem," Blaine said.

"Did she give you a hard time?

"No, not at all," Blaine answered thinking about Kadie's questions from earlier. For a moment, he debated bringing it up, to get the answers he'd been waiting for all day, but eventually decided against it. Like the return of the power, it would have to wait for another day, "We hung out. It was fun. Santana came by."

"She told me. I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner."

"Really, Kurt, it's alright."

"I'm probably going to wake her up and make sandwiches by flashlight. Did you want to stay?"

"I'd love to," Blaine said standing, careful not to rock Kadie awake, "But Cooper's basement is flooding and I told him I'd get back as soon as I could."

"Well now I feel like a bigger ass for keeping you here."

"Please, don't. Sam and Jeff are over there, but he could probably use a little more help."

"Of course."

There was a pause, a hesitation; each of them silently hoping that the other would bring up what remained unspoken between them, not let Blaine walk out that door without understanding or clarification.

"I'll see ya," Blaine said instead. And with a nod from Kurt he let the moment slip away, he opportunity pass, as he headed outside into the dark and rainy night.


	9. Chapter 9

Santana knew how to get what she wanted from Kurt. It was clear from the way she used Burt to get Kurt to go to concerts, her birthday party, and the various activities that their new group of friends (Kurt, Blaine, Santana, Sam, Puck and various Hummel's employees) were doing quite regularly.

"You can't take care of Kay if you don't take care of Kurt," was her only response to his protests.

But when she played her best game was when she used Kadie to get what she wanted. But on Friday night when Kurt received a screaming announcement from Kadie that she was going to be spending the night with Auntie Tana, Kurt had no idea what she wanted from him.

"And what am I supposed to do all night?" Kurt asked going through Kadie's drawers, putting Kadie's favorite purple pajamas into her overnight bag.

"I don't know and I don't care," Santana answered from her post, leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed across her chest, "Tonight is a girl's night and we can't be bothered with your problems."

Kurt looked up and looked Santana directly in the eye, "What are you doing?"

"Taking my niece for the night so that her daddy, and my best friend, can have some peace and quiet. He works himself too hard."

"I mean," Kurt said standing, "What's your hidden agenda?"

"I think you're really losing it Hummel. Which is why this night off is a good idea. I don't care if you sit in the dark and cry, drink an entire bottle of wine by yourself and pass out on the floor, or dance around in your underwear. Just take a deep breath, Kurt, and enjoy one night to yourself."

"I've been doing a lot of that lately."

"It's still not enough."

Ten minutes later, Kadie's excitement was practically pouring off her as Kurt hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head, before she followed Santana out the front door shouting "Bye Daddy!" as the door closed behind her.

Alone in his quiet, empty house, Kurt tried to think of what he could do with the time he had to himself. He hadn't planned on doing much, just whatever Kadie wanted. But now he was left with a few hours to do what _he_ wanted, and he was coming up blank. Sitting down on the couch, Kurt visually skimmed his bookshelf. It had been so long since he'd read anything written for someone his own age, and nothing looked particularly interesting. He could sit in front of the TV until he fell asleep, the drama of the reality show that he was terribly behind on as his lullaby; or he could clean and reorganize the upstairs bathroom like he'd been hoping to for as long as he could remember. But all of that seemed like a waste of time.

He scanned the room, hoping to find an idea, and his eyes stopped at the spot in the corner. The corner where on Saturday, Kurt had kissed Blaine, and he was immediately transported back into that moment, as if it was happening in the present. He could feel Blaine wrapped around him, his lips against his lips, his tongue against his tongue, his skin against his skin. In that moment, everything had felt good again. At least until the power went out. Kurt eyes then trailed to the spot where later that night he'd made the mistake of letting Blaine leave without an explanation.

Now, it wasn't as if they were avoiding each other, exactly. Text messages had been exchanged all week about various topics, and they saw each other almost every day when Kurt picked Kadie up from school. The kiss, however, remained unmentioned, but not forgotten. Kurt knew what he wanted: more. He wanted to figure out how to make things work with Blaine, to give them a real try. Blaine had kissed him back just as desperate as Kurt had, hadn't he? Or was that all in Kurt's head? Had he just thought he felt it because he wanted it so badly? No. Blaine's hands had held him the way that his body and his mind remembered; had kissed him the way his lips remembered. He was certain of it. And because of that Kurt was also certain that if the power hadn't gone out, and if Kadie hadn't come downstairs, and the bar hadn't called, that maybe that kiss would have been everything they needed to stop avoiding whatever was going on between them and things could finally fall into place.

Tonight there would be no power outage, no Kadie, no emergency phone calls from the bar. Tonight there were no more excuses. Before he could talk himself out of it, Kurt pulled his phone out of his pocket and was scrolling to find Blaine's name. He let his thumb hover over the green button for just a second before he tapped it with certainty.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Kurt," he said, "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing, I don't think," Blaine responded, "Is everything alright?"

"Let's go get a drink."

"A drink?"

"Yeah," Kurt said, "Santana took Kadie for the night and I want to go out. There's a place in the next town that's basically like Hummel's except when I go in there, I don't have to worry about the way the place is running. Plus they have fantastic onion rings."

"That's what Cooper said about the ones at Hummel's."

"I may have talked to the owner and slightly altered his recipe."

"You didn't?" Blaine gasped.

"I cannot confirm or deny anything, but I think we should go."

"Uh, yeah. That'd be great."

"Perfect. Can you meet me at my place?"

"Yeah, I'll see you in a little bit."

The moment they hung up, Kurt ran upstairs. It became totally obvious that he needed to change.

* * *

It was the first time Blaine and Kurt had hung out, just the two of them, in a long time. When they went out, it was always with a bunch of other people. When they were at Kurt's, Kadie or Santana were always there. But they were going out now; just the two of them, and honestly the thought both thrilled and terrified Blaine. But he didn't mind at all.

After he'd gotten off the phone he'd ignored Cooper's amused gaze as he ran upstairs to change out of his sweatpants. Allison was at her book club and he and Cooper were going to watch some movie he had no interest in, but one call from Kurt and the night suddenly became more exciting.

Blaine met Kurt in his driveway, not even getting to the door before Kurt was directing him into the car. Kurt explained on the ride there how Nicky's was the bar he and Santana snuck into when they weren't exactly of legal age. The bouncer just took one look at Santana's chest and let them in.

"It was too bad for him that Santana's into girls," Kurt said with a laugh as they pulled into the parking lot of Nicky's.

Nicky's was, as Kurt described, just like Hummel's or any other bar for that matter. Tables of people, alcohol, loud music. But there weren't nearly as many people there and Blaine knew that what made Hummel's special was the people. Here the bartender looked bored, at Hummel's Puck would be asking a million questions. The atmosphere made the bar a success and this just didn't feel as welcoming as Hummel's.

"Do you come here often?" Blaine asked.

Kurt laughed, "No. But Hummel's is the only bar in Lima so if I want to go out for a drink I have to go outside the city limits. Cheers had it all wrong. Sometimes you have to go somewhere no one knows your name."

They ordered drinks and onion rings from a waitress who looked less than thrilled as she took their order popping her gum.

"Tell me about New York," Kurt said.

"What about it?"

"You're not from there, so what drew you there? You don't need to be in a city that big to teach."

"I don't know. I love the heart of the city. The constant change of it all."

"Must make living here a nightmare."

"No," Blaine said, "I actually like it here. It's different, but no better or worse. I get why Cooper came here. I mean, aside from Allison."

"You've actually never told me why you left New York."

"I haven't?"

"No. You just said you needed a fresh start."

Over the last few months Jason had become nothing more than a memory. His heart had started to put itself back together. And had all started the night he met Kurt.

"It's not an original story by any means," Blaine explained, "I lost my job and my boyfriend, his name was Jason, in the same week. Cooper charmed someone into getting me a job at the school and before I knew it I was on a plane to Ohio."

"Do you ever regret it?"

"Nope," Blaine said without a moment's hesitation, "I've only been here a few months but I've got my brother and Allison, a group of friends I care about, a job I love. I've somehow managed to get almost everything I've always wanted and I didn't need a big city to get it. I found it all right here."

The word "almost" rang loudly in Kurt's head as he thought about the thing that Blaine was missing before he had everything he'd ever wanted. And the tightness in his chest was the hope that maybe what Blaine was missing was the same thing Kurt was: someone to love, and to love him back. And the hope that maybe they could be that thing to each other that made them complete.

* * *

A couple hours and two—well, for Kurt, three—beers later, Kurt was pulling the car back into his driveway. The short drive back had been full of laughing and singing along with the radio, and when Kurt cut the engine, Blaine's chuckle grew louder, making Kurt's heart grow along with it. Their night together had been perfect, easy, and very much needed. Unlike most other nights that he went out, there was no one waiting for him at home, no babysitter to relieve. He could breathe a little deeper, drink that extra beer, and hope that the prince sitting next to him would kiss him without worrying that the clock would strike midnight.

"We should do this again," he told Blaine, looking over to see the other man's moonlit illuminated profile.

Blaine turned his attention towards Kurt, "Yeah, definitely."

Kurt took a strengthening breath. Now as the time to be fearless, "I like hanging out with you, Blaine. Just you."

"Yeah," Blaine said, "Me too."

"Really?"

Blaine shot him a puzzled look, "Of course."

"Because I kissed you the other day and we really haven't talked about it," Kurt blurted. It wasn't exactly how he'd planned on venturing onto that topic, but his words were out there now, and there was no taking them back.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh," Kurt said, "Can I ask you something? And can you be completely honest with me? No matter what your answer is."

"Sure," Blaine said, "Of course."

Kurt faced forward for a minute, running his hands against the steering wheel, and then turned back towards Blaine, "Have I been imagining this the whole time? Me and you? Those feelings that we felt the first couple of days, before you knew about Kadie, before you knew about Daniel. Did I imagine all of that? Because sometimes I can't decide if it was real or just a really good dream."

"They were definitely real."

"Good. Because those were the first days in a really long time that I felt like me again. I felt like singing and dancing and shouting from the rooftops. It was like coming out from under the water and taking in that first breath. I felt alive. And I thought you felt the same, at least a little bit."

"I did."

"Do you now?"

"I-"

"Because I do. I do and it scares the hell out of me. _You_ scare the hell out of me. Because you could hurt me."

"I wouldn't," Blaine said and if by no other force than instinct, grabbed onto Kurt's hand. Kurt's fingers curled around Blaine's.

"I know that. I think. But sometimes you have to take chances, no matter how scared you are. And telling you this could do one of two things. You could tell me that no matter how real those moments were, they're over. That you can't be with me for whatever reasons. That the feelings are no longer there. And I will respect that. It'll be the last time I bring this up. We will go back to being friends. Truly friends. But if there's even a slight chance that we can work this out, that I want to be with you and you want to be with me, then I want to take it. I want to take a chance on you. On us."

"Kurt—"

"It's been a really terrible year, Blaine. God, it's been more than a year now. But I've been spending every second working or making sure that Kadie is happy. Because I worry about how she reacts more than anything else. To a certain extent, I understand but she doesn't. And life was just the same routine, day after day. And then you came into my bar. And things were good, they were—I thought they were great. There was something new to look forward to. The sun was shining after it had been dark for so long. And then you were Kadie's teacher and then we decided it wasn't a good idea for us to be together, and things got a little bit grey again. But then all of a sudden my first thought every morning wasn't 'is Daniel going to come back today?' It was 'will I see Blaine today when I pick up Kadie from school?' And then I thought back to something my dad said. He told me, after the open house, that everything happens for a reason. I thought it was the worst advice he'd ever given me, but I think I finally understand what he meant. He meant that the reason we couldn't be together before was because no matter how much I wanted it, my heart wasn't really ready. It had been through the ringer and it wasn't ready to let anyone else in. I wasn't expecting you, Blaine. I wasn't waiting for someone to appear in my life and turn my world around. So when you showed up, I wasn't ready. But I can't seem to move on or forget you. And the more we try to be friends, the more I realize that I never wanted to be your friend, Blaine. I've always wanted something more. And I think I'm ready now."

"I want that too. More. I always have."

"Good. That's—that really good to hear."

"But what about Kadie?" Blaine asked, finally getting a complete sentence in.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "She's been doing just fine while we've been friends. Santana told me about her interrogation last week. We will just have to explain it to her and hope for the best. I'm honestly more worried about her being upset I'm dating in general than I am about me dating her teacher. She's five, not fifteen. I think her priorities are different then we think they are. Plus, she worships you."

"And if something happens? With us, I mean."

"God, Blaine," Kurt said with a laugh, squeezing Blaine's hand, relishing of the warmth of his skin beneath the pad of his thumb, "We'll deal. We're adults and you're not going to be her teacher forever."

"And you're sure about this?"

"Very sure," Kurt said, "The question is, what do you want? After everything you told me tonight, what do you think will make you completely happy?"

"You," Blaine said, "I do, I'm just-"

"Scared?" Kurt finished, "If you're scared, be scared with me."

Blaine looked down at their joined hands, at their intertwined fingers fitting perfectly together, grounding him to the moment. There was no place in the entire world that he would rather be than with Kurt. And despite everything, Kurt wanted to be there with him too. Despite the obstacles that had been placed in front of them—and he fully admits some of them were put there by his own hands—the path to being with Kurt had cleared and all he had to do was lean over and he would be his.

So he did. His lips pressed softly, but firmly, against Kurt's. A warmth washed over his entire body as Kurt responded to him, reaching up to place a hand against his cheek. Blaine leaned more, wanting to be closer, wanting more of Kurt, the center console digging into his side. He laughed into the kiss as he thought about how much he felt like a teenager, making out in the car, parked in the driveway, the need to feel and explore and devour Kurt overwhelming.

"What's so funny?" Kurt asked leaning his forehead against Blaine's, cherishing the intimacy.

Blaine told him how he was waiting for someone's dad to come tapping on the window, warning them it was time to go inside.

"Then let's go inside," Kurt whispered into the cold car.

Blaine responded with a quick kiss before leaping out of the car and hurrying towards Kurt's house.

* * *

Blaine really loved waking up to the smell of Cooper making breakfast. He loved waking up with a smile from a dream he couldn't remember. He loved waking up and knowing that it was Saturday and he didn't have anywhere he needed to be and could just lay in bed for a while. But by far, Blaine's favorite way to wake up was with Kurt's head against his chest and the tickle of his breath against his skin as he carded his fingers through his messy hair, both their bodies' void of clothing. Being with Kurt had been perfect, amazing, and everything—and more—that Blaine had imagined over the last few months. It had been worth the wait and the risk. In the light of morning, every apprehension that Blaine had had was gone. He looked down at Kurt and no longer saw boring days and lonely nights; he saw a road towards something, a future that was more exciting than he'd ever experienced.

Kurt stirred against him, nuzzling his chest, fingers skimming Blaine's belly as he slowly became awake and opened his eyes, their beautiful blue diamonds looking up at Blaine before the smile crept on his face. He looked happy. He'd made Kurt happy, just as Kurt had done to him.

"Good morning," he whispered running his fingers through Kurt's hair again, laughing when Kurt swatted at his hand until he grabbed onto it, locking their fingers together as he brought them to his lips.

"Good morning," Kurt said leaning up and replacing Blaine's hand with his lips, transferring them into a series of slow, yet needy, kisses.

Blaine slipped down so that his body was even with Kurt's, his hands reaching out to pull his—well, he supposed Kurt was his boyfriend now—flush against his body. Blaine's own body was vibrating with the anticipation of what was to come and the excitement of getting to discover Kurt's body and the newness of how it felt under his hands.

"Tell me how to make you feel good," Blaine asked between the gentle kisses he peppered across Kurt's chest.

"You," he reached up to cup Blaine's neck and run his thumb across his jaw, "I just need you."

Blaine's responsive kiss was desperate, need, and hungry. He wanted nothing more than to give Kurt everything and found that there was nothing easier than giving himself to Kurt. His hand traveled down, skimming over Kurt's bare ass and thighs, before coming up and to the front to take Kurt in his hand. Blaine was certain that the rush he felt when he was with Kurt like this would never go away or get old. There was nothing Blaine couldn't do if Kurt just continued to kiss his neck the way he was; if he just continued to caress and tease in a way that only Kurt Hummel could. It was mind-altering. When he was with Kurt, the rest of the world went away until it was just them. They were so caught up in each other they hadn't heard the sound of the front door opening, and the sound of footsteps creeping towards Kurt's room.

"I've been trying to get you two into bed together for a freakin' month and all I had to do was take the kid for the night? Jeez, if I had known that it would have saved me and Trouty so much trouble."

The boys froze then sat up quickly to see Santana in the doorway, stepping inside and closing the door.

"You've been trying to get us in bed together?" Blaine asked incredulously.

"Of course," Santana responded, "You two have been dancing around each other for too long and it was driving me nuts. I don't go bowling on Friday nights just for fun."

"Santana, can you please give us a minute?"

"Yes, of course. But only so you're daughter doesn't walk in on this room smelling like morning sex and seeing her daddy and her teacher tangled in their sin."

Santana left the room, closing the door behind her.

"I can't tell if she's actually happy for us or not."

"She is. You just can't tell unless you're fluent in Santana, which, I just happen to be," Kurt placed a quick kiss on Blaine's lips, "Are you happy?"

"Kurt, I am up in the clouds, singing and dancing on Broadway, happy."

"So you're doing okay?" Kurt laughed.

"I'm great."

"Good," Kurt said adding another kiss at the end.

"DADDY!" Kadie yelled.

"I guess we should get this over with, huh?"

Kurt kissed Blaine's lips, just long enough to melt some of the tension that had been building inside Blaine, "Hey, we'll figure this out."

Blaine hung his head, "I know, you're right."

"You're learning quickly," Kurt said with a big smile, "Now go put your clothes on, we're going to have breakfast with the ladies."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me so long to get this up! Everything has been a little crazy. But it's finally here! Thanks for my beta, Christine and to you--for sticking with me!

Breakfast Saturday morning was only awkward because Santana spent most of the time eying them knowingly and making comments that, thankfully, went over Kadie's head. Kadie had no idea that the clothes Blaine had on were the same ones he'd worn the night before. After Santana left, Saturday continued just as it would if the nature of Kurt and Blaine's relationship hadn't changed. Kurt had promised Kadie they would make oatmeal raisin cookies, and he couldn't help the smile on his face when Blaine agreed to stay— in his clothes from the day before—and help.

And the first thing Kurt did Monday morning was promote to Santana to assistant manager.

"You're right," Kurt told her while standing in front of the desk in his office, "I need a little help around here."

"All it took was a power outage," Santana responded from her chair, "And for you to get laid."

"Har har," Kurt said going to take his seat behind his desk.

Maybe Santana was right, but an extra day or two off each week would give him more time with his father and Kadie; and with Blaine.

"So did you tell Kay you were banging her teacher?"

"In detail, actually," Kurt joked before his voice went serious "We talked to her about Blaine and I being together now, yes."

"And?"

"Before Blaine left Saturday we sat her down and told her that Blaine is my boyfriend now—and then I had to explain that—and then she just said okay. I don't know what I should have expected, but I think it went pretty well."

"I assume he's coming to Thanksgiving now?"

"I invited his brother and sister-in-law too."

"When's the wedding?"

"I was thinking next week, are you free?" Kurt retorted, "We've been together—really together—for two days, Santana. We're just going to see where this goes and if there are wedding bells in my future, you'll be the first to know."

"Good," Santana said standing, "Now when do we tell everyone I'm in charge around here?"

* * *

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Blaine had just walked in the door after work when his brother called out from the kitchen.

"I mean," Cooper continued, "I have this brother who lives here, but I've barely seen him this last week because he either comes in late, or he has sleepovers with his boyfriend."

The redness in Blaine's cheeks had little to do with the near freezing temperatures outside. He and Kurt had been together for a little over a week and, yes, he spent a lot of time at Kurt's house. He'd either head over there as soon as his classroom was straightened up or he'd take Kadie home and they'd meet Kurt at his house.

"I never see you anymore, Blaine," Cooper said with a tiny of melancholy in his voice. He used to not see Cooper for months on end, now just a few days seemed to feel like months.

"I know and I'm sorry," Blaine said, "But I'm home tonight, and we'll be together most of Thanksgiving weekend."

"Will we see you for your birthday?"

"Yes, course" Blaine said excitedly, he'd just finalized the plans for his thirtieth birthday, "I'm going over to Kurt's Friday night for dinner with him and Kadie and then Saturday is Karaoke night."

"That sounds like fun, Squirt."

"Are you mad?" Blaine asked, "That I spend so much time with Kurt."

"No. No. The complete opposite actually."

"Good. I'm glad, Coop. Because I really-really, like him," God, he sounded like a teenager, "and I feel like we've got a lot of time to make up for."

"I'm happy you're happy, Blaine. That's what you came to Lima for right, to be happy? I'm glad you've found someone who could give you that happiness."

"Cooper, if you say happy one more time…"

"What can I say, Squirt? Seeing you get everything…it just makes me happy!"

* * *

Thanksgiving had always been one of Kurt's favorite holidays. There were no presents involved, but he got to spend all day cooking and all evening with his family, and by the time he got into bed at the end of the day, he was both sated in his belly and in his heart. The last few years had been hard, but this year when he woke up in his bed, he looked up at the ceiling and smiled. He was alone—Blaine had gone home the night before to spend some time with Cooper—but his heart was light and he was ready to conquer the world. Or at least Thanksgiving dinner.

The turkey was in the oven and Kurt was showered, dressed, and dancing around the kitchen, humming along with the radio when Kadie made her first appearance of the day. She stood in the doorway, the sleep still in her blue eyes that looked electric in the morning sun , her cinnamon colored hair messy from sleep—but she was still the most beautiful girl Kurt had ever seen.

"Happy Thanksgiving, sweetie," Kurt exclaimed going over and scooping his daughter up into his arms, spinning her around the room.

"Daddy!"

Kurt stopped spinning but kept Kadie in his arms, pretty sure she'd be too big for him to hold like that. Kurt wanted to stop time.

"Grandpa's coming over for breakfast soon; we need to get you out of your PJs."

Kadie shook her head vehemently.

"No?! Didn't you tell Auntie Tana you'd wear the outfit she bought you today?"

Kadie nodded, "Yes."

"Then I think you should go upstairs, brush your teeth and get dressed. Then bring down your brush and we'll do something with that crazy hair of yours."

Kadie smiled, "Okay, daddy!" Kurt's heart melted.

Kurt kissed his daughter on the cheek and set her back on her feet. The moment they touched the ground she was running out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Ten minutes later, Kadie came bustling back into the kitchen, dressed in a blue and brown plaid dress, complete with a black bow tied at her waist and black leggings. In her right hand was her hairbrush and a black headband. She looked stunning, even with her hair still a mess. Kurt checked the turkey and turned the burners to low, then sat down at the kitchen table, gesturing for Kadie to join him. Kurt took the hairbrush and headband from his daughter, and then patted his thigh, smiling when Kadie climbed into his lap so Kurt could brush out her bedhead.

"Daddy?" Kadie asked after a moment while Kurt softly dragged the brush through her hair.

"Yeah, baby."

"Is Dad coming to Thanksgiving?"

Kurt winced at the inquiry, his eyes widening, the blood draining from his face. He hadn't been expecting that question, but he should have. It had been so long since she'd asked about Daniel, that he wasn't sure she would again, at least he hoped she wouldn't. He'd never avoid the subject if she asked, like she was now, but there was only so much that she would understand now. Kurt took a deep breath and forced a smile that Kadie couldn't even see and continued running the brush through his daughter's hair.

"No, sweetie, he's not."

"Okay," she responded. Her voice small as if she was trying to keep it from wavering.

"But Blaine's coming over, and his brother, and you remember Nurse Anderson, don't you?"

She nodded.

Kurt put the brush down on the table, and then turned Kadie around so that she was looking at him. The happy girl who'd run into the kitchen a few moments before was gone, Kadie's face now drawn, her lips pouting, but Kurt was relieved to find that there were no tears in her eyes. He pulled her in and held her close.

"I love you, Kadie," Kurt whispered into her hair. Because after everything, Kurt needed Kadie to always know that he loved her. That he would never leave her, not in a million years. That his love was the one truth she could be certain of for her entire life.

"I love you too, daddy."

There was a knock at the door and a second later it opened and the sound of work boots in the foyer pulled Kurt and Kadie from their moment.

"Where is everybody?"

When Burt appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, Kadie ran to him, squealing as she was scooped into her grandpa's arms. Kurt's father took one look at his son, and in that silent way they'd communicated since Kurt was little, asked him if he was alright. Kurt shrugged, letting out a breath, and willing the tension that had been building in his muscles to let go. With a silent declaration that he would not let Daniel's absence ruin this day for him or anyone he cared about, he found it easier to breathe. And the excitement that had been pulsing through his veins when he woke up returned.

* * *

It was Santana who had greeted Blaine, Cooper and Allison at the door of Kurt's house just before three o'clock that afternoon. She wore a big smile that didn't seem forced, and her eyes danced. Not that she usually looked particularly sad, but there was always this hardness to Santana whenever Blaine was around her. But Santana was even more beautiful when she wore her happiness proudly. And as Blaine stepped into the house and took of his coat, it was obvious why today was special. The first thing he noticed was that the smell coming from the kitchen was divine, the mixture of all the parts of their feast coming together, making his mouth water before he could even get into the living room.

The couch was full of a few employees from Hummel's, and sitting in the chair Kurt had told him was his dad's favorite spot was Burt Hummel himself, the football game on the television with Kadie on his lap. He was pointing out something to her when Kadie spotted Blaine and immediately leaped in his direction shouting, "Mr. Anderson!" before wrapping her arms around his waist. Blaine's heart warmed. When he introduced Kadie to Cooper and Allison, Kadie shied behind Blaine. And that warmed him to his very core. Blaine greeted some of the guys he recognized from Hummel's who were watching the game along with Burt.

"Where's your daddy?" Blaine said bending over to look Kadie in the eye.

"In the kitchen," Kadie told him.

"He's going to yell at you if you go in there," Santana said.

"No, he's not," Blaine said scooping Kadie up into his arms and heading towards the kitchen.

With Kadie settled on his hip he moved quietly into the kitchen and put his finger to his lips to signal for Kadie to remain silent. He could hear the radio on low, Kurt humming along as he moved the pots and pans around. Blaine stood at the threshold and watched him in those few moments before Kurt noticed he was no longer alone, smiling at the focus in Kurt's eyes. He wanted this to be special for everyone and he wouldn't be satisfied unless he got what he wanted. It was only a moment before Kurt looked up and saw them leaning against the doorframe, his face breaking into a smile

"See," Blaine told Kadie, "I told your Auntie that he wouldn't yell at me."

"I'm not going to yell," Kurt said walking over to them and planting a soft, quick kiss against his lips and then a kiss to Kadie's cheek, "but you have exactly wo minutes before I kick you out."

"It smells amazing in here."

"Thank you. Everyone was hovering so no one is allowed in here until it's time to eat," Kurt said, "I should go say hello to your brother and sister-in-law."

"They can wait," Blaine said, "Are you sure I can't help you with something?"

"You can help me by going into the other room and watching football with my dad," Kurt said, "No more distractions."

Blaine put Kadie down on the floor, "Kadie, why don't you go back into the living room and we'll meet you there in a few minutes. I have to talk to your daddy."

Kadie looked slightly disappointed she couldn't hangout anymore but hurried away.

"What are you—"Kurt started, but his words faded away as Blaine pressed his lips on to Kurt's. It was longer than the kiss Kurt had given him before, more desperate, but still as soft.

"You play dirty, Mr. Anderson," Kurt said, shooting Blaine a flirtatious smile that promised time for themselves later, "Too bad your two minutes are up. Now let's go so I don't look like a bad host and so you can get out of my kitchen!"

* * *

"How are you doing, Blaine?" Burt asked the moment Blaine sat down in the loveseat next to the chair Burt was sitting in. Kurt had just disappeared back into the kitchen and didn't allow Blaine to follow despite his insistence that there would be no further distractions.

"Good, Mr. Hummel. How are you?"

"I'm just fine. And I believe I asked you to call me Burt."

"Right, of course."

"How's school going?"

"Good," Blaine answered, "It's been a good year."

"And Kadie? She's doing good too?"

Blaine turned his head and looked over to where Kadie was sitting at the table talking to Cooper and Allison who were positively engrossed by the littlest Hummel as she told them a story that involved big hand gestures. Blaine loved those stories.

"She's doing great. She's very smart."

"Just like her daddy," Burt said, "speaking of her daddy. What happened there?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I mean—and I'm not saying I don't support you and Kurt being together, as long as you make each other happy," Burt said, "But the last time I saw you, Blaine, you seemed pretty adamant that you and Kurt were just friends. So what changed?"

Blaine remembered that day in the nurse's office, a very sick Kadie asleep against his shoulder. It seemed like so long ago, another world maybe. Back then he was trying so hard to keep his feelings for Kurt at bay; to be his friend and nothing more. They'd come a long way since then, but at the core, nothing about the way he felt had changed.

"Nothing," Blaine told him, "Nothing really changed. We finally hit a point when we couldn't keep lying to ourselves and to each other. The feelings had always been there, we just weren't allowing ourselves to feel them."

"So you were just being stupid? Both of you?"

"Definitely," Blaine said with a laugh, "And everyone thought so but us.

Burt chuckled.

"And I get it now," Blaine said.

Burt eyed him curiously.

"That day that Kadie was sick," Blaine clarified, "You said that maybe the reasons Kurt and I had been denying ourselves were the reason we should together. It didn't make sense at the time, but it makes sense now."

And it did. Back then two wounded hearts and a five year old had been the things that kept them apart. They were afraid of getting hurt but what neither of them seemed to realize was that they were each the salve for their burns, the thing that would heal the other. And Kadie did nothing but warm his heart. She was just as spectacular as her father.

"I really care about them; both of them," Blaine added.

"I know, kid," Burt said leaning back in his chair, "Now, tell me you're not a Giants fan and everything will be alright."

"Dad," Kurt said appearing with the turkey in his hands, "Can you please let Blaine eat before you try to scare him away?"

* * *

After spending Friday morning shopping with Cooper, and the afternoon hanging out with Sam, Blaine was blissfully happy to go out to Kurt's for his birthday dinner. His birthday wasn't until Saturday, but Kurt had wanted to do something special, and Kadie insisted she be a part of it as well. And Blaine would take any excuse to spend time with either of them: Kurt, the man who gave him so much happiness, and his daughter who he was growing fonder of every day. And even if every night was like tonight—dinner, a movie, and everyone cuddled together on the couch, keeping each other warm while the air outside was cold—Blaine wouldn't have a single complaint. Kurt and his daughter had turned his world on its head, and for the first time in his life, he welcomed it.

He rang the doorbell and was greeted by a bright eyed girl with her brown hair in pigtails and a beaming smile on her face.

"Mr. Anderson!" she shouted grabbing onto Blaine's hand, "You have to see what Daddy did!"

Laughing, Blaine followed her—pausing only to take his shoes and coat off at the door—as she dragged him through the house and towards the kitchen. Inside he found Kurt at the stove, stirring a pot of noodles, the smells coming from the oven making his stomach growl and his mouth water.

"You're here!" Kurt said excitedly.

Still holding onto Kadie's hand, Blaine walked over and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek.

"Dinner will be ready soon," Kurt told him.

"It smells amazing, but you didn't have to do all of this. You did so much cooking yesterday."

Kurt waved him off like it was nothing. But it wasn't. For Blaine it was a really big something. He couldn't remember the last time anyone—Cooper and Allison excluded—had cooked for him. All the romantic dinners he'd had in his life were the ones he'd made for other people. And he fell for Kurt Hummel just a little bit harder for doing this. For _him._

"Daddy! Can I give Mr. Anderson his presents now?" Kadie asked bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Presents are for after cake," Kurt told her as he took the noodles from the stove and dumped them into the colander.

"Then let's eat!" Kadie whined, gaining amused laughter from both her father and Blaine.

Dinner was amazing. Kurt had made one of his favorites, Chicken Parmesan, from scratch and it was positively to die for.

"Did you have fun with your brother this morning?" Kurt asked Blaine while he was cutting the chicken on Kadie's plate.

"Yeah," Blaine said after finishing a bite of chicken, "I think this might be the first Christmas Cooper actually gives Allison something she's going to like."

When the dinner plates were cleared off—which Kurt refused to let Blaine help with—Kadie jumped excitedly back into her chair while Kurt disappeared back into the kitchen. Kadie kicked her feet in excitement. A moment later, Kurt returned, his hands full with a chocolate frosted cake that Kurt had made himself. Blaine thought he was going to cry. There were three candles flickering on the top of the cake as he set it in the middle of the kitchen table.

"You have to turn the lights off!" Kadie exclaimed and rushed to the flip the switch until the only light came from the three candles, one for each decade of his life that danced on the cake.

The moment was perfect. Tomorrow he'd turn thirty, but he was already looking forward to the next decade of his life, and he hoped that he could be able to share every moment with the people in the room with him then. They would make those years the best of his entire life.

"Make a wish," Kurt whispered into his ear after he and Kadie sang Happy Birthday.

He reached down and took hold of Kurt's hand, then leaned over and blew out the candles. The smoke was softly rising into the air was Kadie turned the lights back on.

"What did you wish for?" Kadie asked.

"If I tell you," Blaine said teasingly, "It won't come true."

Kadie pouted.

"Is it time for presents yet?" she asked again.

Kurt sighed, "Fine. Go get them."

With an excited squeal, Kadie disappeared from the room.

"She wanted to bring them to your house earlier and give them to you there," Kurt said, "You'd think she was the one getting presents."

"I love how excited she is," Blaine said, "Thank you for this. It was amazing."

"Just wait until you see what I have planned for your actual birthday?" Kurt teased.

"No. Kurt, you don't need to do anything else. This has already been more than enough."

They bantered playfully back and forth, Blaine insistent that he didn't need another thing from Kurt—except maybe a kiss, which Kurt gave him without a moment's hesitation—and Kurt insisting that he wanted to spoil Blaine, therefore he would. They'd hardly noticed when Kadie came back into the kitchen, two gifts that had clearly been wrapped with Kadie's own hands. "Daddy! Mr. Anderson!"

Kadie had no patience for their budding love.

Blaine took the gifts from her and carefully peeled the paper away. He laughed when he spotted the pink bow of Hello Kitty. He moved to the next package, a lot bulkier and when he peeled away the paper to reveal a 64 pack of crayons.

"So you can color with me," Kadie said, the proud smile on her face creating a warmth within both Kurt and Blaine.

Blaine got up and moved to give Kadie a hug, kissing her forehead, "Thank you, Kadie. I love it."

A little while later, the credits began to roll on the movie the boys and Kadie had huddled together on the couch to watch. Kadie yawned as she rubbed tiredly at her eyes.

"Alright, missy, bedtime," Kurt said standing up and reaching out for his daughter's hand. She took it and followed Kurt a few steps before stopping and looking back at Blaine.

"Mr. Anderson," she said, "Would you read to me tonight?"

Stunned, Blaine looked from Kadie to Kurt, who only shrugged.

I'd love to," Blaine said standing up and reaching for the outstretched hand of the little girl in front of him that was slowly nuzzling her way into his heart.

When they arrived at Kadie's bedroom, the five year old let go of their hands and ran over to the bookshelf.

"PJs and teeth first, little lady."

"Right," Kadie said putting the book she'd chosen on the bed and hurrying over to her dresser, grabbing her pajamas out of the drawer and then hurrying out of the room. She returned five minutes later in bright blue pajamas and hopped immediately in her bed. She had so much energy for someone who was nearly asleep fifteen minutes before. Blaine remembered one of the reasons he envied kids.

"Here, Mr. Anderson," she said patting the space on the bed to her right, "You can sit here."

Blaine followed his orders and took the book that Kadie was offering. He knew this book; he had it in his classroom. It was the favorite of all of his students.

"Ready?" Blaine asked.

"No," Kadie said with a huff slapping the spot to her left, "Daddy, come on!"

Kurt pulled himself away from his thoughts, the ones that had been pleasantly buzzing in his head as he watched his daughter and his boyfriend cuddle together on her bed, ready to read a bedtime story. His mind flickered to the past for only a moment, and then fluttered to the future, and then he smiled.

But he chose to focus on the present and sat beside Kadie as Blaine opened the door and began reading.

 _One dark, dark night in Burrow Down,_  
a rabbit named Eliza Brown  
found a book and settled down…

* * *

It was two more books before Kadie finally felt the tug of sleep again and let herself be tucked beneath the covers. She got two kisses on the forehead and then Kurt turned out the light and followed Blaine out into the hallway, softly closing the door behind him. It was only another second before he was grabbing onto Blaine's shoulder, pushing him into the wall opposite and then kissing him hard on the mouth. It was desperate, like Kurt would explode if he couldn't feel Blaine against his lips, and feel him close to his body.

"What was that for?"

"I just—seeing you with her like that. It just made me really want to kiss you."

"Then please, by all means," Blaine said capturing Kurt's lips with his own. This was what heaven felt like.

"Do you have to go home tonight?"

"No, I don't _have_ to," Blaine said kissing along Kurt's jaw, "Although, I did promise Cooper he could make me breakfast."

In response, Kurt kissed along Blaine's jaw line, nibbling on the skin just beneath his chin.

"I suppose he could make me lunch instead."

* * *

Blaine always thought he'd hate turning thirty. He had it in his head, especially a few months ago when the entire world seemed to be out to get him, that he would find himself broke, alone, and completely unhappy. But he woke up on his thirtieth birthday wrapped around a man who stole a little more of his heart every day. And that night he celebrated at Hummel's surrounded by the people who he couldn't imagine his life without, and some really terrible karaoke. Life at thirty somehow managed to be better than it ever was.

Because it was karaoke night, Hummel's was packed. There was a woman singing a not terrible rendition of _Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?_ , while Sam, Cooper, and Andrew, Marley's boyfriend, were talking about the football game coming up and Marley and Allison were discussing a Black Friday sale that was still exciting even after they'd made their purchases. Blaine just took in the moment while he sipped his drink.

"Oh, no. You look bored."

The voice came at the same time a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. He knew from the sound of the melodic voice that it was Kurt and the soft kiss just beneath his ear was all Kurt. Blaine turned his head and kissed his boyfriend's cheek.

"That's because someone promised me that he wasn't going to work tonight and then disappeared into the back on me," Blaine said entwining their fingers with Kurt's where they lay against his chest.

"It wasn't work related, I promise," Kurt said. Keeping their fingers locked together, Kurt pulled away and took the seat next to Blaine, scooting it closer so that they legs were touching, "But you're having fun? There isn't something else you wanted to do on your birthday?"

Blaine lifted Kurt's hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss against his boyfriend's knuckles, "I'm having a great time. I'd have an even better time if you stopped disappearing to check on what's going on in the back."

"I promise," Kurt said leaning forward and gripping on tighter to Blaine's hand, "That I am all yours for the rest of the evening."

"Good," Blaine said leaning in him and placing a kiss on Kurt's lips.

Yep. Thirty was good.

"Hey, Blaine."

Blaine hesitantly pulled his attention away from Kurt at the sound of his name. When he looked up, Claudia was standing there a beer in one hand, the other on her hip.

"Claudia," Blaine said, "Hi."

"I heard that it's your birthday," she said sweetly, "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you," Blaine replied.

The truth was, ever since Blaine ditched Claudia's Friday Night Drinks in exchange for hanging out with Kurt, Santana, Puck and Sam, Claudia hadn't been very friendly towards him at work. It wasn't so much that she was rude, but she didn't try to engage in conversation with Blaine and treated him like a stranger. So much for the 'let me know if you need anything' song she'd been singing the day they'd met. Blaine had no idea why she was approaching him now.

"We were actually thinking about getting out of here," Claudia said, still not acknowledging Kurt's presence, "all the bad singing is becoming a little too much. You're welcome to join us if you'd like."

Blaine was almost certain that Kurt was biting his tongue so hard that he'd drawn blood, "Uh, no. I'm good right here."

"Your loss. I'll see you around," she said turning away calling out, "Hi, Kurt," when she was just far away enough so that Kurt could hear here, but not reply.

"I hate her," Kurt said, "I really do. Tell me she doesn't do anything like that to Kadie? Because then I'll have her head."

"I don't even think they see each other," Blaine said, "But let's bring out focus back to the task at hand. Celebrating my birthday and listening to the really bad singing."

"Are you singing tonight?"

"I'm sitting out of this one tonight," Blaine said, "Are _you_?"

"Blaine, I haven't sung in public in years," Kurt told him.

"But you sing beautifully."

"What would I even sing?"

"I don't know, anything," Blaine said, "You could sing the alphabet and it would be the greatest song I've ever heard."

Kurt laughed, "How many drinks have you had?"

"Not nearly as many as you think," Blaine leaned in close and whispered in Kurt's ear, "Will you sing? For me?"

Kurt kissed his boyfriend soundly and then flashed a playful smile, "We'll see."

* * *

"I'll be right back," Kurt said getting up and heading toward the back, ignoring Blaine's protests.

He eyed Sam across the table who only shrugged in response. The girl on the stage finished her version of _Piece of My Heart_ and then Santana took the mic from her.

"Listen up," Santana said, "Tonight is a very special night because tonight we are celebrating Blaine Anderson's journey into old age. Despite his height, our Blaine is now thirty, truly an adult—though he hangs out with five year olds for a living. And though he's only been in Lima for a few months, but we've grown to love his stupid ass. So in honor of you turning the big 3-0, we' made you a little something."

He looked at Sam again, confused, but Sam only pointed to something behind Blaine. Blaine turned to look and standing there accompanied by his very beautiful boyfriend, was the biggest birthday cake Blaine had ever seen. From a distance Blaine could see the light blue frosting, but as Kurt came closer he saw that the entire cake was frosted the color of the sky and on top someone had made a shirt and a little red bowtie. And on the pocket it read Happy Birthday Mr. Anderson, and Blaine's jaw dropped. It was not only the biggest cake he'd ever seen, it was the most beautiful cake. There were three candles burning brightly. So that was where Kurt kept disappearing off to.

The whole bar was watching them as Kurt sat the cake down in front of Blaine and then a moment later started singing. Half a second later the entire bar joined in. He was blown away. No, there was no way that Blaine could possibly be miserable on his thirtieth birthday.

Making a wish, Blaine blew out the candles and then pulled Kurt in for a kiss. The group around him catcalled, the rest of the bar cheered, and Blaine Anderson had never been happier.

"Happy Birthday, Blainers!" Santana said, "Trouty, you're up!"

Sam patted Blaine on the back and headed towards the stage where his guitar was waiting where the opening chords of _In the Midnight Hour_ made Blaine smile. It was one of his favorite songs.

Cooper and Marley also contributed to the string of songs dedicated specifically to Blaine.

"Ok, ok," Santana said, "Now, you're in for a treat because this hasn't happened in an eternity. Please welcome, our very own Kurt Hummel to the stage."

Kurt kissed Blaine on the cheek and then left a stunned Blaine, eyes wide, jaw dropped, sitting in his chair.

"This one is for the birthday boy," Kurt said into the mic, a smile on his face. Blaine's heart was swelling in his chest as the first notes were played and then Kurt began to sing.

 _Strangers in the night_  
Two lonely people, we were strangers in the night  
Up to the moment when we said our first hello little did we know  
Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away

Blaine was, dare he say it, in love with this man who seemed on a personal mission to make Blaine the happiest person in the world. He only hoped that he could give enough of that back to Kurt.

Kurt finished and the entire bar was on their feet cheering. Kurt took a bow and left the stage. Everyone but Blaine took their seat but Blaine who was looking at him with amber eyes that burned with fondness, joy, and so, so much love.

"You're not coming home with us are you?" Cooper asked.

"Nope!" Blaine exclaimed and taking the few steps that were between him and Kurt and laid the biggest, wettest, most awesome kiss on Kurt's lips.

The entire bar erupted in cheers once more.


	11. Chapter 11

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, Kurt and Blaine were trying to quietly put all of Kadie's presents underneath the Christmas tree, and failing miserably.

"Is there anything you didn't buy her?" Blaine asked as he carried the third bag of presents into the living room where the tree—decorated with an assortment of ornaments, lights, and garland—illuminated the room with its warm glow. Kurt, and sometimes Blaine, had spent many nights between Thanksgiving and Christmas wrapping presents in the bedroom after Kadie had gone to sleep. And now, on Christmas Eve, they were placing them under the tree to be found by Kadie in the morning. It was their first Christmas together, and Blaine had been so excited when Kurt invited him to spend the night and wake up with him Christmas morning.

"I couldn't find some play set that she wanted," Kurt told him while he arranged gifts beneath the tree, "but her birthday is in a few weeks so I'll make it up to her then."

"You spoil her," Blaine stated.

"I know," Kurt said looking up at him, "But I can't help it. It's too hard to say no to her when she pouts. It's not like she's asking for drugs or weapons or something."

Blaine laughed, "I hope you're saving for her wedding now."

Blaine took a seat next to Kurt and opened up the last bag of gifts. He knew that Kurt just wanted to give Kadie everything she wanted, especially after the last couple of years. He would never fault him for that. The truth was, he may have gone a little overboard for her himself. There was another bag in the trunk of his car he had to get before it got too late.

"So, what should I expect tomorrow? Is she one of those kids who gets up before the sun and has you opening gifts while the sun rises, or will we actually get to sleep in tomorrow?"

Kurt laughed, "I got lucky. She wakes up only slightly earlier but the sun should be safely in the sky. But the moment she realizes what happened, you won't be able to move fast enough for her. She'll be pulling off wrapping paper before we can get the coffee started.

Blaine pulled another gift out of the bag and noticed that the name written in Kurt's beautiful handwriting no longer belonged to Kadie, it belonged to him.

"What is this Mr. Hummel?" Blaine asked inspecting the wrapped object.

"You'll just have to wait to find out in the morning after Santa comes," Kurt said taking the present from Blaine's hand and placing it underneath the tree, "There's a couple more in there because Kadie insisted that she get you gifts as well."

"You shouldn't have; neither of you."

"It's Christmas, Blaine! Plus, I saw something at the store and thought of you and couldn't pass it up. Plus, I know you're hiding gifts of your own."

"You're right, I should go get those."

Blaine kissed Kurt on the cheek then got up to head outside. He slipped on his shoes and coat at the door and walked out to his car. It was getting late, but the neighborhood was still glowing in red, green and white lights; plastic Santas and reindeer adorned many roofs and the snow had begun to softly fall from the sky, leaving a thin layer of white on everything. If it continued that way, it was sure to be a white Christmas. Blaine grabbed the bag filled with gifts for Kurt and Kadie, as well as Burt and Santana who would be joining them at Kurt's house tomorrow afternoon, and headed back inside. He brushed the dusting of snow off his coat and from his hair and then hurried back to Kurt.

When he returned to the living room Kurt was no longer on the floor in front of the tree. Instead, Kurt was leaning against the wall, his hands behind his back and Blaine couldn't mistake the sheepish grin on his face as he spoke, "Come here."

Blaine complied easily. Kurt could ask him to go to the moon and he would if it made him happy. Kurt brought one hand to the front of his body and reached forth to hook his finger in the belt loop of Blaine's jeans, pulling Blaine against him, and then placing his hand against Blaine's hip holding him there. In response, Blaine placed a hand on each of Kurt's hips.

"What're you hiding?"

"Nothing," Kurt said, his lie obvious with the smile that was as big and bright as the Christmas tree and the sing-song way he spoke.

"Really?"

Kurt shook his head.

"Are you going to show me?"

Kurt slowly moved his other hand from behind his back and extended it over his head. Blaine followed his hand and smiled when he saw the green leaves caught between Kurt's thumb and forefinger.

"You're sly, Kurt Hummel."

Kurt shrugged, "I like to think of it as romantic."

"It is very romantic," Blaine said moving his right hand until he was cupping Kurt's face in his hand, looking into his blue eyes and getting lost like he had that first night. Like every other night since then.

"Are you going to kiss me or not?" Kurt whispered.

"There's mistletoe," Blaine said, "I have to right?"

Kurt's eyes locked with Blaine's as he nodded slowly. Blaine kissed Kurt as the mistletoe still dangled above their heads, and he continued to kiss him even as the mistletoe fell to the floor, Kurt's hand finding more important things to do, like carding his fingers through Blaine's hair. None of the presents mattered anymore, as long as they were together, wrapped around each other, it would be a Merry Christmas indeed.

* * *

Kurt had gotten up and sang in front of hundreds of people on Blaine's birthday, yet Kadie's sixth birthday party was infinitely more stressful. There were thirteen five and six year olds in his house, and those who weren't singing along with a CD that someone brought from a band Kadie really wanted to see in concert (was she really old enough for that already?) were forgetting that they were inside and treating his staircase like a jungle gym. He was seriously considering having Kadie's birthday in July next from now on. This way they could all be out in the yard instead of being cooped up inside the house. The only saving grace in all of it was Blaine. Everyone seemed incredibly excited that Mr. Anderson was at Kadie's birthday party.

"He's my daddy's boyfriend," Kadie had told them, and no one seemed to care.

And Blaine was doing a great job of entertaining his students while Kurt put the finishing touches on Kadie's Hello Kitty cake in the kitchen. Blaine was surrounded by five or six engrossed children as he told a story about a prince and a dragon. It wasn't anything particularly original, but the way Blaine told it—with everything he had—made it the most entertaining story the kids had ever heard. Kurt couldn't help but smile from the doorway. Blaine was going to make an excellent father.

He tried to call the attention of the room, but failed. Everyone was completely focused on Blaine. But the sound of Blaine's name on Kurt's lips immediately caught the kindergarten teacher's attention. Kurt took a moment to enjoy the warmth that Blaine's gaze washed over his entire body before he smirked at his boyfriend.

"A little help," Kurt requested, "It's time for cake."

Blaine gave a small nod and stood and called the attention of everyone like the professional kindergartener whisperer that he was, "Alright everyone, to the kitchen so we can sing to the birthday girl and get cake! Mr. Hummel happens to make divine cakes, so you're all in for a treat."

And they were. Gathered around the table, everyone sang Happy Birthday to Kadie who blew her candles out with a smile on her face.

It was a little while later, when Kadie was surrounded by unwrapped gifts that Kurt's phone vibrated in his pocket. He was standing next to Santana against the wall watching as Kadie unwrapped gifts that Blaine handed to her. He was thankful to let Blaine take the reins on this. Mindlessly, he pulled his phone from his pocket, hitting the button to light up the screen, all the air leaving his lungs as he read the message.

 **Daniel [4:25 PM]** Tell Kadie I said Happy Birthday.

He looked up as Kadie shouted for him to look and the gift she'd unwrapped. He smiled at her, forced to not show the tension that was building inside him. This was her day and he wasn't going to let Daniel ruin it from wherever he'd disappeared off to.

"I'll be right back," Kurt whispered, "Can you get me if anyone needs anything?"

He didn't wait for Santana to respond but quickly ducked into the kitchen. He needed to be alone. He remembered the way he felt the night that Daniel had called. How his heart began beating wildly in his chest, how his lungs couldn't seem to get enough oxygen, the panic had spread through him quickly. This blow was somehow less than it had been that first night, despite the fact that Kurt had finally come to a point in his life that thoughts of Daniel didn't pass through his head on a daily basis. Kurt leaned against the refrigerator and opened his phone to stare at the text. Above anything else, he was angry. He couldn't tell Kadie that Daniel had said anything; it would break her heart that she couldn't see her dad. Because Kurt still had no idea where he was. Kurt was so wrapped up in his emotions that he hadn't heard the sound of heels against the kitchen floor until was too late.

"What the actual fuck, Hummel?"

Kurt turned to find his best friend right behind him, her eyes over his shoulder; she'd read his phone. Kurt shoved his phone in his pocket, failing to keep the look of guilt off his face.

"I repeat," Santana said, this time with her hands on her hips, "What the fuck?"

"Would you be quiet?" Kurt hissed.

"So your boyfriend doesn't know you're texting with your ex?"

"It's—it's not like that," Kurt said.

"Then what is it like, Kurt? Because you looks like I caught the cat with the canary in its mouth."

Kurt sighed, "This is the first time he's text me. But—"

"But what?"

"But he's called before."

"You've talked to him?"

"No—no he called, but I didn't answer."

"When was this? And why the fuck didn't you tell me?"

"October," Kurt told her, "Halloween."

"That's why you never came out that night," Santana determined, "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because I didn't want it to be a thing. He called, I didn't answer. He didn't leave a voicemail and he hasn't tried to contact me again until now."

"You should tell Blaine."

"No," Kurt shook his head vehemently.

"Yes, Kurt," Santana challenged, "You shouldn't keep this from him."

"And what if that scares him away?"

"If I haven't scared him way, nothing will," Santana said, "Wait, do you think he's coming back?"

Kurt shrugged and shook his head again," I don't really know, but I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because if he was coming back he'd have come back after he called. It's been months."

"What if he does?"

"He-he's not," Kurt said, "Now can we just go back to the party? I'm sure Blaine's wondering why we left him with his students on a Saturday."

"Tell him," Santana said, "He's not going to go anywhere."

"No," Kurt said, his voice stern like he was disciplining his daughter, "And you're not going to say anything to him either."

"Fine," she said after a moment, "But you're an idiot."

* * *

The first thing Blaine noticed when he pulled into Kurt's driveway was that there were two cars parked side by side. There was Kurt's black Nissan, but an unfamiliar blue Honda beside it. He parked behind Kurt's car, wondering if Santana had gotten a new car to go along with her promotion, but the car didn't look new and already had Ohio license plates. He didn't think too much more about it as he got out of the car and walked to the front door.

Blaine knocked and was greeted a moment later by Kadie who let him in without a word and went back to the kitchen table where she was coloring.

"Where's your dad?" Blaine questioned. They were supposed to go to a movie, and since they were going to be waiting on Blaine, he figured he'd be ready to leave as soon as he'd gotten there.

"They're upstairs," Kadie said coloring in Hello Kitty's bow.

"They?" Blaine questioned.

"My dads," Kadie responded without hesitation. As if she hadn't just delivered a blow to Blaine's gut.

Blaine blinked in surprise, his jaw slack. He did his best to try to keep the rush of emotions from showing on his face, but it was rather difficult given the situation he'd found himself in. Daniel was upstairs; he was upstairs with Kurt. Now that he was paying attention, Blaine could faintly hear the shouting coming from the upstairs bedroom. Daniel, the man who Blaine had only thought of as the ghost in Kurt's heart, was no longer a ghost, but a tangible person; and he was here, in Lima, in Kurt's house. _Their_ house. The bed that he and Kurt made love in was their bed; the house he spent so much time in with their house; and the family that Blaine thought they were creating was their family. It was a startling realization that nothing that Blaine thought he had was actually his. The raised voices got louder as the bedroom door opened, he heard Kurt still yelling as he came down the hallway. He heard two pairs of feet hurrying down the stairs. And then he saw two men come into view: the man who had his heart, and the man who was the reason it was going to break.

"Blaine," Kurt called from the top of the stairs.

Blaine's focus was on Daniel. He'd never seen a picture of him, he knew that most of the memories were locked in the basement, but seeing him now, he wasn't sure what he had expected. Daniel was just a bit taller than Kurt, his hair a dirty blonde cut close to his head. His brown eyes watched Blaine curiously, doing the same thing Blaine was, sizing him up—seeing what kind of competition Blaine would be. Blaine didn't miss the tiniest of smirks that formed on Daniel's lips, or the way his eyes became more confident. Daniel didn't think Blaine could win this, and suddenly, neither did Blaine.

"So you're the Blaine I've heard so much about," Daniel said moving down the stairs until he was standing a few feet from Blaine. In his peripheral, Blaine saw Kurt come down the stairs as well, not saying a word. Daniel stuck out his hand, "Daniel Valente."

Blaine wondered if Daniel had any idea the nature of his and Kurt's relationship. If he were in Daniel's shoes would he be able to shake the hand of his ex fiancés boyfriend? Would he want to? Was Blaine even Kurt's boyfriend now that Daniel was back?

As much as Blaine wanted to be a petulant teenager, to be stubborn and not shake the hand that was extended towards him, he had to remind himself that he was a grown adult, and that Kadie was watching them and probably didn't comprehend all the tension that was thickening the air in the house. He envied her; all she knew was that her dad was home, she didn't know that one of the men in the room was about to get his heart broken.

Blaine reached out and shook Daniel's hand, feeling the extra tug at his arm—he definitely knew, "Blaine Anderson."

Blaine's eyes moved behind Daniel to Kurt and for the first time since he came down the stairs actually looked at him. He looked like he wanted to be sick, his arms wrapped around his middle. He hadn't been crying, but there was a sadness in his blue eyes that made Blaine want to take him into his arms and never let him go, the first round of unshed tears made them glossy. When Blaine finally got their attention he could see their silent apology. Only Blaine wasn't exactly sure what they were apologizing for.

"I should go," Blaine said his eyes not leaving Kurt's.

"That would be a good idea," Daniel said.

"Daniel," Kurt scolded moving to stand next to his —Blaine wasn't sure what he was anymore, "Take Kadie upstairs. I need to talk to Blaine."

Daniel eyes moved from Kurt to Blaine and back to Kurt again before he rolled his eyes, "Kadie, sweetheart, why don't you go show me what you got for your birthday?"

Excited, Kadie jumped from her seat, grabbed on to her dad's hand and led him up the stairs to her room, talking a mile a minute about the doll Santana had bought her.

With Kadie and Daniel both gone from the room, Kurt looked like he was having a hard time holding in the tears that were constantly threatening to fall. Blaine almost wished Kurt would let them.

"Blaine," Kurt said his voice barely above a whisper, thick with emotion, "I'm sorry."

There it was again, an apology—but this time in words, but Blaine still wasn't sure exactly what Kurt was apologizing for.

"Can we sit?" Kurt gestured to the kitchen table.

Blaine nodded and followed Kurt to sit down at the table he'd celebrated his birthday at, Thanksgiving and Christmas. So many wonderful memories, all about to be tarnished by what was about to happen.

"When did he get here?" Blaine asked trying not to be accusatory, trying to keep his voice from displaying all the jumbled up emotions that were eating away at him.

"He was waiting on the porch when I got back after dropping Kadie off at school."

"He's handsome," Blaine said quietly, afraid that Daniel was listening at the top of the stairs, that he was watching everything unfold. When Kurt didn't respond he added, "What does he want?"

"Me," Kurt said, "Kadie. Our family."

 _Our family_. Kurt had spoken the words softly but they were screaming at Blaine. He took a deep breath before he asked his next question, "And what did you tell him?"

"He knows about us," Kurt told him, "I guess Claudia has been keeping him up to date on all the happenings here in Lima. I told him that I don't know if I can give him what he wants."

It wasn't exactly what he had been expecting; he had anticipated that Kurt would out right tell him that he was going back to Daniel, that he was getting his family back. That his fiancé was home and Blaine was no longer needed. But there was still a wound in Kurt's uncertainty.

"Kurt—" Blaine started.

"No," Kurt interrupted, "Just—I just need a few days to think."

Blaine felt the crack begin to form in his heart. Because deep inside he knew that no matter how many days Kurt took, that his heart was about to break. That soon all that would be left was a million tiny pieces. And he wasn't sure that he'd ever be able to put them back together this time.

"Did you know he was coming back?"

"No," Kurt said, shaking his head for emphasis, "He-he called a while ago—but I didn't talk to him and he text me on Kadie's birthday. But I swear Blaine; I had no idea he was going to come back. In fact, I was sure he wasn't going to."

Blaine felt like he'd been slapped, Kurt had kept things from him, "Why didn't you tell me about any of that?"

"I didn't think. I'm sorry. I know I should have told you, I just didn't want to bring him up."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Blaine asked, of all the emotions that were floating around inside him: hurt, betrayal, sadness, fear, the anger seemed to be most dominant.

"No," Kurt said embarrassed, "I just—I'm sorry."

"Me too," Blaine said shortly.

"Blaine, can you please give me a few days? If it were just me, it would be different, but I have to think about Kadie."

"That's bullshit," Blaine hissed standing from his chair, "And you know it. He left you."

"You sound like Santana."

"She'd say the same thing to you."

"He was my family once," Kurt told him like it was supposed to explain something, "For a long time. He's Kadie's dad."

"And what was I—what _am_ I, Kurt? Just the guy that took his place while he was gone? I told you did I didn't want that, Kurt. You told me that wasn't what this was."

"It's not," Kurt said, the desperation to make Blaine believe his words dripping off his tongue, "You have to believe me."

"It doesn't matter, Kurt. Let's face it, I can't compete with that. It's your family, Kadie and both of her dads. And as much as I've grown to love her—to love _you_ —over the last few months, I can't take that away from either of you. I know how much that means to you."

"You mean something to me too," Kurt said.

"But it's not enough, is it?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"I can't live my life waiting for maybe to become a yes," Blaine said, "I've done that before and it never works out for me."

"I'm so sorry, Blaine."

"I know," Blaine said shooting him a watery smile as the tears pooled then fell from his eyes as the last of the anger slipped away, "I should go. Tell Kadie I'll see her on Monday."

Kurt nodded and Blaine tossed him one last half smile before he turned toward the front door. Each step slow, a silent plea for Kurt to come after him, to tell him that he knew that he wanted Blaine, only Blaine. But each footstep led to another and then Blaine was outside, the front door shut behind him, the cold January wind stinging the tears that were now freely falling and rolling down his cheeks. They carried him to his car and still without protest from anyone other than his heart, hit the gas pedal that took him away from Kurt and his family.


	12. Chapter 12

_Blaine sat in the passenger's seat of Kurt's Nissan as they drove down a narrow road carved in the middle of a forest. There were trees, lush with green leaves, on either side of the otherwise abandoned road, the sun was shining above them. It looked like a perfect spring day. Kurt sat happily in the driver's seat, navigating the twists and turns of the road as he sang along with the radio. He didn't look over at Blaine, only out the windshield, but there was a smile on his face—a beautiful smile that warmed the middle of Blaine's chest, made his heart beat faster, and his own smile appear. Watching Kurt sing, watching him be so happy and free as they drove wherever it was that they were going, did nothing but make Blaine fall more in love with him than he had been the moment before. That was how it had always been with Kurt: every moment, from the very first, Blaine lost a little bit of his heart to the man with the icy blue eyes, the radiant smile, and the touch that set his world on fire. Kurt had become his world, a place where he could share his truths and his secrets and not worry about judgment or alienation. Because Kurt got him from day one._

_Blaine continued to watch Kurt for a few uninterrupted moments, allowing himself to just enjoy their time together, to let his heart soar to the point that it nearly overwhelmed him. He thought he'd known love before—with Jason and with boys in high school and college—but never had someone stolen his heart so quickly, so intensely, as Kurt Hummel had._

_The road took a sharp turn, and suddenly the sound of Kurt's voice changed. His singing sounded muffled, like he was underwater, but he continued to sing and drive, his eyes never leaving the road._

_"Kurt," Blaine called to him._

_Kurt's focused remained on the road in front of him like he hadn't heard Blaine._

_"Kurt," Blaine repeated, louder._

_Kurt continued to be unresponsive as Blaine felt himself being pushed back into the car seat as the vehicle began moving faster down the road. Blaine looked out the window with wide eyes continuing to call Kurt's name as the car sped through the trees, turning them into nothing but green blurs._

_Blaine looked at Kurt again he was still singing, still driving—like he was a video that looped over and over again, unchanging. Out of the corner of his eye, Blaine spotted something in the middle of the road, he took a moment to pull his eyes away from Kurt and noticed that it was a person, and as he looked closer he recognized the dirty blonde hair and the confident stature. It was Daniel standing in the middle of the road, staring the car down from the middle of the otherwise deserted road. Beside Blaine Kurt remained on repeat as the car continued barreling towards Daniel._

_"Kurt!" Blaine exclaimed in a last ditch effort to get Kurt's attention so that he could avoid hitting Daniel. Blaine turned towards the driver's seat only to find that Kurt was no longer there, the seat was empty._

_It was only a moment later before the car veered off the road and went crashing into a tree._

Blaine wasn't sure if it was the crash in his dream of the knocking on his bedroom door that flung him into consciousness. His heart was beating wildly in his chest as his eyes adjusted to the morning sun coming through his window.

"Blaine!"

"Yeah!" Blaine shouted in frustration as he tried to push his thoughts away from his dream and focus on Cooper knocking on his door. It was like when they were kids again, Cooper knocking on Blaine's bedroom door so he could convince him to keep quiet while he had a party or went out for the night.

The door opened a second later and Cooper walked in dressed for work, a big pair of gloves in his hand. But the look on his face was serious.

"You need to come downstairs," Cooper said, his voice managing to hide the concern that Blaine saw in his eyes.

"Why?" Blaine asked rubbing his hand over his face in an attempt to wipe the last bit of sleep from his head.

"Something's happened."

Two minutes later Blaine was standing in front of the TV, still in his pajamas, arms wrapped around himself watching the news. WOHN was broadcasting live from Lima Elementary where there had been a fire overnight. And even though it was out now, the building that Blaine spent almost every day of his life inside was no longer recognizable, as they showed images of the damage, the fire had burned through so much of it.

"Classes at Lima Elementary have been canceled until further notice. Principal Emma Schuester commented that once the damage has been completely assessed the school district will decide how to proceed with the rest of the school year, and an informational meeting will be held with both faculty and parents," Andrea Carmichael reported.

"No one was hurt?" Blaine asked Cooper who had obviously been watching this story before he'd woken Blaine up.

"No. They think it started really late last night."

"Good," Blaine said as he tried to wrap his head around the damage that had been done.

"Squirt, I can stay home for work if you need me to."

"No," Blaine said quickly, "Go to work. I'll call Marley and we can wait here for news."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Go. It'll be okay."

But truthfully, Blaine wasn't so sure. He was glad everyone was alright, that there was no one in the school when the fire tore through it, but he couldn't shake the feeling that in the destruction of Lima Elementary he'd somehow managed to lose everything…again.

* * *

McKinley High School's auditorium was growing full with Lima Elementary faculty, students, and parents a week after the fire. Blaine sat next to Marley with the rest of the teachers as they waited for everyone to arrive so that Mrs. Schuester could present them with their fate. Blaine had visited the school a few days prior, to see if he could pick up some of his personal items from his classroom—to see if they were still there—but they weren't letting anyone inside, and Blaine could see that the school was beyond immediate repair.

"Is that what happened between you are Kurt?" Marley asked nudging Blaine's shoulder.

Blaine looked at her, confused, but then followed her gaze to the middle of the auditorium. A rambunctious Kadie was skipping towards a row of chairs, Kurt behind her; Daniel behind him with his hand on Kurt's back, guiding him towards three empty seats. Blaine was going to be sick. It had been three weeks since Daniel came back and while he'd told Marley that things hadn't worked out between him and Kurt, only those closest to Kurt knew what was really going on.

"Who is he?" Marley asked.

"Kadie's other dad."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't want to talk about it," Blaine said crossing his arms over his chest, "It happened, it's over, and we've all got to move on."

"You think it's that easy?" Marley asked, "For either of you."

"He looks pretty moved on to me," Blaine said trying not to look at Kurt, trying not to see if there smile was on his face while he sat with his _family_.

Blaine was relieved when Mrs. Schuester and the rest of the school board appeared on stage, and Emma called for everyone's attention. It was a welcome distraction from the gnawing of his insides that being in the same room as Kurt had caused.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming tonight. After spending the last week investigating and evaluating the school, the decision has been made to close Lima Elementary for the remainder of the school year."

There is a buzzing in the crowd.

"We've talked with the other schools in our district, as well as those around us, and have arranged for the students of Lima Elementary to be transferred to one of likely three schools. Unfortunately due to staff levels at the other schools, not all of the staff from Lima Elementary will be relocated as well. Your student will likely have a new teacher, and classes will be split up. We will be doing everything we can to make this transition as smooth as possible, including providing a bus service to those who are current bus riders, as well as those who can no longer provide transportation.

"We're trying to shorten the time off for the students, so new school and classroom assignments will be sent out by the end of the week, with classes starting on Wednesday of next week. Are there any questions?"

After nearly an hour of questions, everyone began to file out of the auditorium. Blaine hung out in front of the stage as he waited for everyone to file out so he could talk to Mrs. Schuester. He needed to know if he was going to have a job come next week.

"Mr. Anderson!"

Blaine looked up at the sound of his name just in time for Kadie to collide with his legs, her arms wrapping around them, squeezing him as tightly as a six year old could.

"I've missed you!" Kadie exclaimed. And Blaine's heart broke just a little bit more.

"I've missed you too, sweetie," Blaine said. He missed her more than she'd ever know.

"Can you come over and watch a movie with us?" Kadie asked with hopeful eyes.

"I can't," Blaine said after a moment of hesitation, fighting the lump that was building his throat, "Not tonight."

Kadie pouted as someone called her name. Blaine looked up and saw Daniel standing just a few feet away, "Let's go," he said to Kadie before glancing at Blaine.

"Bye, Mr. Anderson!" Kadie exclaimed and dashed away towards her father.

"Are you okay?" Marley said, her hand on his shoulder.

Blaine nodded but didn't say a word. Because his silence was the only thing keeping himself from breaking down.

* * *

It had been a long time since Kurt closed Hummel's by himself, but he remembered why he used to not mind it so much. And knowing that Kadie was at home in her own bed and not at his dad's made it that much easier to slip into the peace that the empty bar gave him. With just the radio softly in the background, Kurt had no one to bother him but his own thoughts His jumbled, messed up, and completely confused thoughts.

The night before Daniel had spent the night—on the couch—but having him there that morning, making breakfast with Kadie, it felt a little…off. But it shouldn't have, right? How many times over the last six years had he woken up to the smell of bacon and the sound of Daniel and Kadie laughing in the kitchen? Countless. So why did something that used to bring a genuine smile to his face now cause him to fake happiness as he kissed his daughter good morning?

Kurt told himself that he would try, but everything felt forced. But he was trying, so hard. He knew it was going to take more than a few weeks, maybe even more than a few months, but he'd try because they all deserved it. He and Daniel had been something special once, and with Kadie they'd been the perfect family. They could get that back with time, right?

Kurt swept up the last of the debris from another busy night from beneath the bar stools then sat down on one of them, his elbows on the bar, and his head in his hands. It was late and he was tired, but he didn't want to go home yet.

He heard the door to the bar open and hesitant footsteps as someone walked further inside.

"We're closed," Kurt said without moving. He could have sworn he asked Santana to lock up as she left.

"I know," a voice said that caused Kurt to turn quickly and be face to face with Blaine. Blaine, who he hadn't been this close to since the day Daniel came back. Since the day he drove away and refused to answer a single one of Kurt's calls or texts. He'd only stopped when Sam asked him to, a sad smile on his face.

"Hey," Kurt said softly.

"Hey," Blaine stood just inside the door, his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked. He'd been desperate to talk to Blaine for weeks, but it was nearly two in the morning.

"Seeing if you were," Blaine said shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh."

"Can I—can I talk to you?"

"Yeah," Kurt said gesturing to the stool next to him, "Sit down?"

"I'd rather not."

"Ok," Kurt said trying to hide his hurt and disappointed. He was sure Blaine hated him now, and he hated himself for that.

"I'm leaving Lima," Blaine said flatly.

"What?"

"Emma doesn't have room for another Kindergarten teacher at any of the schools they're transferring the kids to, so I'm out of a job until August," Blaine told him, "But I got a call yesterday and one of the teachers at the school I taught at in New York is going on maternity leave in a few weeks. They've asked to be substitute for the rest of the school year, and I've told them that I would."

"Oh. Wow. That's—that's good. Not that they didn't have room for you, but that you found something."

"Yeah," Blaine said running his hand through his hair, "I just wanted you to hear it from me. Cooper knows I got the offer, but I haven't told him I accepted, and I haven't told anyone else."

"So you'll be back in June?"

"I-," Blaine shook his head.

Kurt felt the air push out of his lungs in a single swoop, the feeling disappearing from his nerves, "So you're leaving? For good?"

Blaine nodded, "I'll be back to visit Cooper, Allison, and my niece or nephew."

"Your..."

Blaine smiled, the first real smile Kurt had seen him give in too long, in what felt like an eternity, "Allison's pregnant."

"Oh, Blaine! That's great!" Kurt exclaimed fighting the urge to throw his arms around Blaine and hug him close. He knew how much Allison wanted this.

"Yeah, so I'll be back. But probably not until Christmas. I told Emma to give my job to Marley."

"When do you leave?"

"Two days from now," Blaine said, "I'm going to stay with one of the other teachers until I get a place of my own.

"Blaine," Kurt said, the desperation to explain himself, to plead with Blaine forgive him, and maybe even to stay saturated in the sound of his voice.

"Hey," Blaine said, "Don't worry about it."

"Is there anything I can say?"

Blaine shook his head, "Could you tell Kadie I said goodbye?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Thanks," Blaine said, rocking on his feet, "I should go so you can get out of here. I'll—I'll see you."

Kurt nodded, "I'll see you."

Kurt watched as Blaine walked out of the bar, one echoing step after another, knowing that soon Blaine would be leaving Lima, and that it would very well be the last time he ever saw him. As the door closed behind Blaine a single tear fell from Kurt's eye and ran down his cheek.

* * *

Kurt wrapped his hands around his coffee mug as he sat at his father's kitchen table. Kadie was at school and Daniel was at the house going through some of his boxes and he just couldn't be in the house with him. And if he showed up at the bar, he knew Santana would send him home immediately. So it settled on the only other place he could really feel safe, his dad's.

"So," Burt asked sitting down with his own cup of coffee across from Kurt, "How is everything?"

Kurt let out a breathy laugh, "You're not very good at subtle, dad."

Burt leaned back in his chair, "Then just tell me want I want to know."

"Things are...okay," Kurt told him, "They're alright."

Alright was an incredible overstatement, but what else was Kurt going to tell his dad. That Daniel was trying to so hard to pick up everything exactly where he'd left it, but things were no longer the same? That no matter how hard he tried, he still felt like Daniel was a stranger, a guest whose face and name he recognized, but whom he no longer knew? Telling his dad that would just be admitting defeat—that he and Daniel weren't going to be able to work things out. And he wasn't sure he was ready for that just yet.

"Blaine left for New York this morning?" Burt asked.

"Yeah," Kurt responded, not sure if it was more unpleasant to talk about Daniel or Blaine at this point, "Sam said his flight was at nine."

"And how does that make you feel?"

Kurt shrugged, "I don't know."

"Yes you do."

Kurt huffed, "Fine, I feel guilty. I feel like he only left because of me."

"You really think that?"

"Yes. No. Maybe," Kurt said, "Can we please talk about something else?"

"Alright fine," Burt conceded, "What would you like to talk about?"

Kurt was silent for a while, "You never liked Daniel did you?"

He wanted to avoid this subject, but the question was screaming loudly inside his head. He knew where Santana stood—he got an ear full about it—but he valued his dad's opinion above anyone else's. He needed to know.

"I liked Daniel just fine until he left you, without reason, to raise your daughter by yourself."

"He had his reasons."

And he did. Daniel had sat Kurt down a few days earlier and explained to him how scared it was about becoming a husband when he was already a father, and wondering if he'd missed out on something in his life that he would never experience because he'd been with Kurt since they were sixteen. So he panicked and he left. He told Kurt about how he traveled around the country—mostly on the east coast—and that only Claudia ever knew where he was. They weren't excuses, just his reasons, but it gave Kurt a little perspective on the last year and a half of his life. But he wasn't sure it did anything to fix their relationship, or the crack that was still left in his heart.

"Wait here," Burt said suddenly getting up from the table, "I have something for you."

Kurt nodded and focused on his coffee. He didn't look up until his dad took his seat across from him again, and then placed something in the middle of the table.

Kurt recognized his immediately, it was his engagement ring. The one Daniel had given him oh so long ago. The one he'd given to his father after Daniel had left when he couldn't bring himself to get rid of it, but couldn't stand to wear or even look at.

"You told me to hold on to this until you needed it again. And I don't know about need, Kurt, but you have a choice to make. You can stay with Daniel, go back to the promise you made when he gave you this ring. A promise, I should add, you no longer have obligation to fulfill. You can do that or you can give this back to him and find someone who really makes you happy, who hasn't left you. I'm not saying it has to be Blaine, but damn kid, I haven't seen you as happy as you were with Blaine. And I haven't seen you more miserable than I have since Daniel came back. You're a good man for trying to fix your family, but sometimes things should have to go back to the way they were in order for them to be fixed. Sometimes a little different is better."

And there Kurt's dad was again with the advice. The advice that told him what he needed before even he did. He wished he could at least be half as useful to Kadie when she was older as his father had been his whole life.

"Thanks, dad."

"Kurt," he said, "Whatever you decide to do, make sure it's going to make you happy. The rest will figure itself out."

Kurt got up and walked over to his father, hugging him tightly. He'd be completely lost without him.

He picked the ring up off the table and as he headed home he had two options. He could put it back on his finger, promise his life to the boy who stole his heart at sixteen, who broke it at twenty-eight, and was trying to make things right again at almost thirty. Or he could give the ring back to Daniel. He could give it to him and tell him that there was no way to rectify their relationship. That Daniel leaving had destroyed the future they once dreamed about. And then he could find his chance at happily ever after. Though, what if his chance had already flown away?

* * *

Kurt sat alone in his bed looking over some of the papers and flyers that Kadie had brought home from school that week. She hated her new teacher. She came home from school on her first day at Bath Township Elementary and insisted that she was never going back. Her teacher didn't sing and he looked appalled when Kadie, and another of the boys who used to be in Mr. Anderson's class, suggested that they all have a sing-along. Add this to the fact that Kadie was no longer in the same class as Heather, and the little girl who once loved school—who once got upset because there was no school on Saturday—wanted to end her education at the ripe age of six.

"I miss Mr. Anderson," she'd whined at the dinner table that night.

Daniel—who planned on spending the night again—had told her she just needed time to adjust. But Kurt stayed quiet. He knew from seeing Blaine with not only Kadie, but all of his students, that there would never be another teacher like him in Lima—or anywhere. There was only one Blaine Anderson.

Kurt looked up as Daniel walked into the bedroom, a book in one hand, a cup of tea in the other, "Is this yours?"

Kurt examined the book; it was one of those mass market paperback Star Wars books. Blaine had been looking for it the same day that Daniel had come back.

"No," Kurt responded, "It's Blaine's."

"I think we need to talk."

"Can we not? Not tonight."

"No, Kurt. We've been putting this off long enough. We probably should have done this weeks ago."

Kurt sighed in defeat, "Fine."

Daniel put the book and the tea down on the dresser and walked over to the bed, sat down at the foot and looked at Kurt, "What are we doing?"

Kurt looked Daniel in the eye, probably for the first time since he'd been back. Once upon time he would have melted into those eyes, the gaze would have simultaneously sent chills and fire down his spine. Now he wanted to look anywhere but into it, "I don't know."

"Can I ask you something? And promise you'll be honest with me."

"I've always been honest with you."

"If I hadn't come back, if I hadn't shown up on the porch that day, would you have spent the rest of your life with Blaine?"

Kurt was quiet for a long time, the answer ringing loudly in his head. They'd only been together, really together, for a few months, but he knew the answer to Daniel's question without hesitation, "I don't know. I think so."

Daniel sighed, "Then why am I hear and he's gone?"

"Why did you come back?" Kurt said ignoring the question he'd been asked, "Everything you were running from, everything you were so scared of, it's still here. Kadie and I are still here."

"I wasn't afraid of you."

"Really?" Kurt said sitting up straighter, "Because you told me that you left because everything was too much. That having a husband and a child was overwhelming. But what is different now?"

"Claudia said—"

"Fucking Claudia," Kurt interrupted.

"Claudia said that if I didn't come back I'd lose the chance of ever getting you both back."

And then it hit him. What Daniel had been telling him all along, what Kurt hadn't been able to understand. That Daniel wasn't back for Kurt, that he hadn't been out there—wherever he'd been—thinking he'd made the worst mistake by leaving his family behind. He was out there living his life that didn't include his family. That they were just obligations that he didn't want, and he ran away so he didn't have to deal with them. And the bigger realization, the one that shook him to his core, was that he'd let Blaine go for Daniel. He'd given up on a man who loved him and Kadie more than anything for a man who didn't want them—but didn't want anyone else to have them either.

God, he'd messed up so bad.

"If Claudia hadn't told you about Blaine would you have come back?"

"Of course."

"Would have it been now or would have it been years from now when Kadie was grown and the majority of the work was done? Because you told me you wanted to have a family with me, Daniel. We both made that decision and then you backed out."

"You barely look at me; you won't let me touch you."

"Because I don't want you to!" Kurt exclaimed surprising both himself and Daniel, "I tried Daniel, I really tried. But this isn't going to work."

"You love him, don't you?"

"Yeah," Kurt said after a moment, "I do."

Kurt hung his head, feeling like he'd been hit with a bus of his own emotions. He was in love with Blaine and now that he could finally admit it, finally let himself feel it, Blaine was hundreds of miles away.


	13. Chapter 13

Kurt had an hour until he had to leave to go pick up Kadie from school, and he was determined to spend a lot of it sleeping. Because he was exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. It had been hard to watch Daniel pack up some of his things and leave—for good this time. It was liberating. There was nothing left between them romantically, they needed to stop hurting each other, to let each other go completely. But in the absence of Daniel—and working so hard to make everything work, to find a little bit of happiness—Kurt really felt the gaping hole in his chest. With nothing standing in his way, Kurt could see the epic mess he'd made of his life.

And the worst part was that he just let it all happen. He shouldn't have Blaine walk away so easily, he should have told him how he felt instead of being scared. Because if he had just said what he'd wanted to, maybe Blaine would still be here—or at least in Lima where he could find him and grovel for forgiveness. They saw hindsight is 20/20, and Kurt had never seen things clearer. He'd let go of someone who loved him—who he loved back—for the idea he once had. And now he had nothing and there wasn't much he could do about it.

Kurt crawled underneath the covers and pulled them over his head. He closed his eyes and listened to the silence of the house and willed the voices inside his head to stay quiet long enough for him to fall asleep before the alarm on his phone woke him and he'd have to get go get his daughter. Maybe he could convince her to cuddle in bed with him tonight—he imagined it wouldn't be too hard.

"Are you awake?"

Kurt was quiet for a moment, "Yes," he said not coming out from beneath the covers.

"Good," Santana said, "So listen to me. I'm going to allow you approximately sixteen hours left to mope around here and then you must get your shit together."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You don't really have a choice because that is when I will be dropping your ass off at the airport and you will be boarding a flight headed to LaGuardia."

Kurt pushed the covers away from his face and looked bewildered at his best friend, "What?"

"I'm tired of this, Kurt," Santana said, "You're depressing to even look at. You're sad and blaming yourself but the only way to make this better is for you to get your butt on a plane and go and tell Blaine that you're an idiot and that you're sorry and that you love him and miss him and all that other gross stuff."

"And what if he doesn't want to see me?" Kurt said, his voice laced with both hope and paralyzing fear.

"He'll see you."

"How do you know?"

"I talked to him yesterday and he sounds as pathetic as you do. Just get on the plane and get the boy back."

"I can't just up and leave, Santana."

"Would you stop making excuses? Yes you can. Puckerman and I will run Hummel's and I worked it out with Papa Hummel and that asshole of an ex of yours to make sure that all of Kadie's needs are taken care of for the next few days. And here," Santana said holding up her hand that held a plane ticket, "Before you try to find another way out of this, I already booked the flight, you've already checked in and if you give me five minutes, I will have your bag packed. Face it, Kurt; you're finally going to New York City."

* * *

His name was Kyle. Kyle was six-foot-two, green eyes, nearly black hair, and a smile that made both men and women swoon. He was also twenty-five, a special education teacher, and dropping Blaine off after their second date. He's nice, has no kids, and no exes that left him out of the blue—he's kind of perfect. Except that the only thing they seem to have in common is the school that they work at. They'd been set up by the aide in the class that he was subbing for, and their first date was okay, so when Kyle asked Blaine out again, he only hesitated for a second. Because really, what was the harm? He'd been back in New York for a month. He had a nice apartment, the people at the school were nice and accepting of him on his first day, and if he wanted to give this guy a try, that was his prerogative.

But his heart wasn't really in it. It could be Kyle or Thomas or Roger or Jake and it wouldn't make a difference. He was working on getting through the ache that was left by the piece of his heart that was hundreds of miles away, but at the end of the night he got in his bed—alone—closed his eyes and imagined what it was like to have someone beside him. And then he would try to focus on the future.

He'd gotten nothing but positive praise from the principal at East Adams Elementary. And he'd gotten the impression from his last meeting that there was a chance that there would be a position for him at the school in the fall. The waiting was making Blaine crazy, but it gave him something to look forward to—something to hope for. He'd talked to Marley earlier. She was having a great time at the school she'd been assigned to for the rest of the year, but was looking forward to getting out of there in a month and going back to Lima Elementary in the fall. She told him they were remodeling the whole thing; that was going to be bigger and could hold more kids. Blaine smiled; he was glad that someone was going to have Marley as their teacher next year. They couldn't have chosen anyone better.

Blaine smiled as Kyle leaned in and kissed Blaine softly on the cheek.

"I'll see you on Monday," he said as he left Blaine at the door.

Blaine went inside his apartment, took of his coat, and threw himself onto his couch. He'd had two rules: don't date parents and don't date other teachers. And breaking both of them seemed to turn his life into nothing more than a pile of rubble. At some point he'd have to tell Kyle it wasn't going to work, that they shouldn't see each other outside of work anymore, and that it was definitely Blaine and not him. And that was bound to lead to a few awkward hallway encounters.

Desperate to try to find something to salvage his evening, Blaine reached for the remote and turned on the TV. Maybe there was a movie that could take his mind away from everything until he fell asleep—likely curled up on the couch until he woke up in the middle of the night freezing before heading to his bedroom. He may have already done that once or twice. He'd finally settled on Nights in Rodanthe. He'd leave his night in the hands of Nicholas Sparks. It was sure to be a wonderful story followed by a tragically beautiful ending—just like everything in his life. Blaine let himself relax, let himself sink into the couch cushions, and the movie immerse his mind. And then there was a knock on his door.

Blaine thought for a moment about ignoring the knocking—but it could be the girl from next door—and he couldn't let his own misery keep him from helping if he could. She was a college student and had been over every other day since Blaine moved in. With a heavy sigh, Blaine pressed pause on the DVR and threw himself off the couch and padded toward the door. Where he'd expected a short brunette who loved to chat his ear off, he instead found the loveliest man he'd ever seen in his entire life. Tall and lean, with perfectly styled hair and blue eyes the color of an ocean he'd gladly drown in.

"Kurt," Blaine said amazed.

"Hey."

Blaine wondered for a moment if he had fallen asleep, if this wasn't anything more than a good dream to chase away a bad day. But usually when Blaine dreamt of Kurt showing at his door, he immediately swept into his arms, kissing him breathless. Now he was standing awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"I-what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," Kurt said trying to keep his voice steady—like he was moments away from either fleeing or breaking down at Blaine's door. He really hoped he could get through this without doing either.

Blaine watched him for a moment, "Uh, come in," he said moving aside so Kurt could pass. Kurt took a deep breath and crossed the threshold.

"This is a nice place," Kurt said.

Blaine closed the door behind them, "Thanks. I haven't had much time to decorate but I added a little flair during spring break."

Kurt nodded, and then a silence fell over the apartment. Kurt's eyes scanned the room, his eyes glancing at everything inside the apartment except for Blaine. He'd been imagining what would happen when he was finally face to face with Blaine again—had rehearsed every movement and every word in his head during the entire plane ride over. But now he seemed unable to breathe let alone speak.

"Kurt—"Blaine said hoping to prompt something from the other man in the room. The silence was killing him and obviously Kurt hadn't come all the way from Lima to standing awkwardly in his living room. But why was he there?

"Can I," Kurt started, "It may be a little jumbled, but can I just talk for a few minutes? I came all the way here because I have something to say to you. And if you don't want to hear it, I understand. I'd completely understand if you hate me and never want to see me again. But if you'll let me, I'd like to tell you."

Blaine looked at Kurt in the eye for the first time in weeks. He felt the ache in his chest flare up, but with Kurt in front of him—like the fulfillment of a wish he'd never been able to make out loud—he wasn't sure if it was from the pain or the longing to be close to the man in front of him. To feel him in his arms, to kiss his lips, to hear him whisper in his ear as they made love.

Kurt looked at Blaine, his blue eyes desperate before he muttered, "I should go," and headed back towards the door.

Blaine had taken too long to answer. He'd spent too much time digging through his own thoughts and feelings, and Kurt had taken it as rejection. Rejection he thought he deserved.

"No wait," Blaine said just as Kurt reached the door, "Tell me."

Blaine saw the relief wash over Kurt's face. Maybe Kurt deserved the rejection, but there was something inside Blaine that couldn't let Kurt walk out that door. He had to listen to what Kurt had to say if for no other reason but to finally stitch up the wound in his heart that had been bleeding for weeks.

"I'm an idiot,' Kurt said simply, "I'm the biggest idiot that there ever was. And do you know why? Because I let you walk out of my house that day and when you told me you were leaving Lima I let you walk out of my life. I've never made a bigger mistake.

"I was blinded by some dream that I've known for a while wasn't coming true. And despite what my heart was telling me, my head was telling me to hold on to that dream. But you have to know that I let that dream go, and I have a new one. And I know I might be too late because and you're with that guy—"

"What guy?" Blaine interrupted, his face scrunched into a bewildered expression.

"I've been here for a while," Kurt told him, "God, this is embarrassing, but when I heard you coming—and noticed you weren't alone—I kind of hid around the corner. I watched him say goodnight to you. I watched him kiss you."

Those last five words left a sour taste in Kurt's mouth. He couldn't be angry with Blaine; he didn't owe anything to Kurt, but seeing Blaine with someone else had nearly driven him straight back to the airport. It had been twenty minutes and a phone call to Santana, who promised physical torture if he came back to Lima without at least talking to Blaine, before he'd gathered up enough courage to face the rejection that was likely to come and knock on Blaine's door.

"His name is Kyle," Blaine said. There was no use in lying, "We work together. We've gone out a couple of times."

Kurt wrapped his arms around himself and nodded.

"Kurt, what you said is great and all," Blaine said, "But what does it mean?"

"I ended things with Daniel," Kurt said, "I mean—it never really happened again. It just didn't work."

"Why?"

Kurt took a deep breath—like he was about to tell the word his deepest secret, like he was sixteen and about to tell his dad he was gay, "Because I love you, Blaine. And I can't keep pretending that I don't. And I'm so incredibly sorry that it took me so long to see the mistake I made and that I hurt you when I made it."

"And Daniel?"

"He and Kadie are spending the weekend getting his stuff onto a moving truck and moving it across town. I guess he's been doing freelance work in Virginia for the last year, but he's committed to sticking around for Kadie, so he's going to keep doing it in his own apartment in Lima."

"What do you want here, Kurt?"

"You," Kurt said, "Us. I want us."

"I told you," Blaine said, "I can't be your second choice."

"You're not," Kurt said desperately, "I swear you're not. With or without Daniel in Lima, in the country, _on the planet,_ I'm still going to want you. Only you."

Blaine let out a breath as his heart constricted in his chest. He'd been waiting to hear that from Kurt for so long. But he just wasn't sure it mattered anymore.

"I can't just go back to Lima."

Kurt took a cautious step forward, still leaving some distance between himself and Blaine, "I have it on good authority that there is a position waiting for you at Lima Elementary when it reopens in the fall," Kurt told him.

"Emma gave that job to Marley."

"They're adding another Kindergarten classroom and Emma wants you. She said you and Marley were the best and if she had her choice, she'd choose both of you."

"Really?" Blaine asked as a wave of longing washed over him. Lima Elementary had been the best school he'd ever taught at.

Kurt nodded.

"That's great, Kurt. But what about us? I don't know if we can get back what we had Kurt. Too much has happened."

"But how we feel hasn't changed, has it? My dad said something to me the day you left. He said sometimes things don't have to go back to the way they were to be fixed. That sometimes different is better. We're not going to go back to the way we were Blaine because I'm not denying how I feel anymore, Blaine. Things will be different, things will be _better_."

"I don't. Hate you, I mean," Blaine said, "Quite the opposite actually. But can I, can I think about it? All of it, moving back to Lima and—and us."

"Yeah," Kurt said trying to keep the hope that was beginning to rise inside him at bay. He'd give Blaine all the time in the world, "I'll, uh, just go check into my hotel. I'm in town until Sunday night, but Blaine, I'll wait as long as you need. I meant what I said and I will do whatever I have to do to prove to you that I want to be with you."

Blaine nodded and Kurt adjusted the weight of his bag of his shoulder and turned toward the door.

"Kurt, wait," Blaine said. He may have had a lot to think about, but he still wasn't ready to let Kurt walk out his door. Even if the ball was in his court, he was afraid he'd never come back, "You don't have to go. We can just hang out."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Blaine said looking Kurt directly in the eye, "I've missed you."

The heaviness in Kurt's chest lifted just a little, especially when Blaine walked into his kitchen and pulled a bottle of whiskey and two glasses out of the cabinet. In the morning, Blaine could ask him to leave, to never see him again. But Kurt also knew that if this was his last chance to be close to Blaine—and to show him how he felt—then he would have to take it, no matter what the morning brought them.

* * *

Kurt felt the couch shift beside him, but it was the sound of a phone ringing—Blaine's phone—that had pulled him out of a restful sleep. Kurt kept his eyes closed as Blaine got up off the couch and walked quietly down the hallway towards the bedroom. Kurt took the time alone to stretch and open his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the morning sun that was peeking through the curtains of the sliding door that led to the balcony and a beautiful view of New York City at night. He wondered what it looked like bathed in morning sunlight and promised himself that he'd take a look before he left.

The night before with Blaine had been…wonderful. It reminded Kurt of the night they met. Then it had just been them and an empty bar, talking for hours like they were old friends. It had been before daughters and ex-fiancés, and Kurt knew that no matter what he'd remember that night for the rest of his life. They'd somehow managed to recreate that night—months later, miles away from that treasured bar—just them inside Blaine's apart, a bottle of whiskey, and music playing softly in the background. And they just talked. Kurt caught Blaine up on all the happenings in Lima and Blaine told Kurt about the boy in his class who had to be sent home because he managed to pour an entire bottle of glue in his hair. They didn't kiss, but they danced when Strangers in the Night came through the speakers. After that they returned to the couch, fingers entwined. Being that close to Blaine made Kurt feel lighter than he had in weeks. He'd do everything in his power—and he'd try for those that weren't—to get Blaine back into his life. Because Kurt had never been more certain than he was in Blaine's New York City apartment that with Blaine was where Kurt belonged. And he'd spend the rest of his life proving it to Blaine if he had to.

"You're up," Blaine said walking back into the living room still in the clothes the clothes he'd worn the night before, wrinkled. Kurt wasn't sure if he was allowed to smile at how absolutely adorable he looked, "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"It's okay," Kurt said, his voice still gritty with sleep, "Is everything okay?"

"That was the school," Blaine said holding up his phone, "The one I'm subbing at."

"Oh."

Blaine took a deep breath, "They offered me a job teaching full time starting in August."

"Oh," Kurt repeated, this time his voice was saturated in disappointment and sadness, suddenly Blaine didn't have any reason to return to Lima.

"But I turned them down," Blaine said with a smile.

"I thought you had to think about it."

"I did," Blaine said reaching out and taking Kurt's hand, "After you fell asleep. And the second they offered me the job, it didn't feel right. I'd been working so hard to get this for weeks and I finally got it, I didn't want it anymore. And I knew why."

"Why?" Kurt asked, his eyes moving from Blaine to their joined hands.

"Because there is a school in Lima that needs me," Blaine said giving Kurt's hand a gentle squeeze, "And a man who loves me—and who I love _so_ desperately. And I won't be able to go home until the end of May, but if you can wait for me, I'll be there as soon as I can."

A smile broke out on Kurt's face and he nodded. He'd wait forever for Blaine. It had taken Blaine less than twelve hours to know that he wanted to be with Kurt and he kicked himself one more time for taking so long to comprehend what had been in his heart all that time. And then he couldn't help himself. He tugged on their joined hands, pulling Blaine to him, not hesitating for a moment to put his lips on Blaine's, to kiss him like it was the last thing he would do. He'd die a happy man. Feeling Blaine respond to him, an arm wrapped firmly around his waist, brought a different kind of tightness to Kurt's chest, the one brought on by the one thing that was consuming his entire being, love.

"I'll have to find somewhere else to live," Blaine said breaking away from the kiss, "My old room has been turned into a nursery."

"We'll figure it out," Kurt said before he placed his lips hungrily against Blaine's.

And they would. Partially because Kurt had a very vacant side of the bed that he was more than willing to give to Blaine, and partially because they were together and that made Kurt believe that anything was possible.

* * *

_26 years later…_

"If I could have everyone's attention, please," Kadie shouted to the full room of family and friends who had gathered inside of Hummel's. They had closed it for the day because today was a very, very special day. Kadie, no longer a child but a woman in her early thirties, took the stage next to Santana and her younger sister Sarah.

"For the longest time," Kadie said, "I thought that I was the reason that my dad and Blaine fell in love—that I was the thing that brought them together. When I was five, I really wanted my Kindergarten teacher to come over and hang out with me and my dad and I was so happy that they both were okay with that. That day I fell asleep watching a movie with them, but at some point I woke up and I heard them talking, just talking about their day, and when Blaine was around all the time, and then they told me they were boyfriends, I thought it all was because of me."

There was a quiet roar of laughter, especially from Kurt and Blaine who were seated at the bar across the room. The same place they'd met almost thirty years before. Today was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and everyone had gathered to celebrate with them. It had been a surprise planned by their daughters and Santana.

"But when I was old enough," Kadie continued, "I asked my dad about the story of him and Blaine. I asked about the night they met—in this very bar, about their journey to love and I learned I couldn't have been farther from the truth. I was kind of upset I wasn't a bigger part of their story. Their story is one that the romance writers of the world—like myself—would write about in splendid detail—but they were idiots."

"You have no idea," Santana said resulting in laughter.

"Despite everything, they found their way to each other and over the last twenty-five years allowed me and my sister, Sarah, to grow up learning about real love not in books, but in our home. So this day, and every day, is dedicated to my dads. Who deserve every bit of love and happiness they've had over the last twenty five years, and every bit of that is to come.

"To my dads," Kadie said raising her glass, the rest of the room following.

From where she stood Kadie watched her father and Blaine—who she'd finally started calling that about the time he got back to Lima from New York—smile sweetly at each other, then share a tender kiss that made her heart feel full, like after Thanksgiving. Her fathers—she was lucky enough to have three, but mostly Kurt and Blaine—were her inspiration for every novel she wrote. Learning about their love story as a teenager had opened up something inside of her that she hadn't been expecting and now she spent all of her time trying to give a little piece of that to the world.

"It was like having wine after whiskey," she'd once wrote in the book completely inspired by Kurt and Blaine's story, "When its right, nothing compares to the strong burn that love leaves on your tongue."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this, left comments and kudos, and put up with my crazy updating schedule for the last 8 months. I hope you loved this story as much as I did!


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